Retribution
by Relaji
Summary: Tyrants of Fire, book 1. Indebted to Arceus for eight-thousand-years, three creatures of the blackest darkness seek their salvation along the lies of the One. Only through the eyes of a child can they begin to understand. Rated M for violence.
1. Birth

Chapter One

Birth

Warmth. That was all that existed. An ethereal presence was that sensation, a comforting pillow of release. It moved everywhere, but it was nowhere. It comforted, but also grew in agony. It burst forth, and then didn't burn. Where was it? What was it? Was it real?

Was he real? He turned over in the confined space, the constant warmth taking form in a wet variety, congealing around his little body in a protective manner. He must be real. He could feel himself existing; hear his heart beating in the liquid. His eyes, could he open them? … No. He could feel them moving, but he saw nothing. Maybe that was best.

His paws… He could feel them now. Small things they were, curled in front of his body, keeping close as they finished their development. This… development, was it?... Did it hurt? It all felt so fast. He curled tighter into a ball, suddenly frightened.

Then… voices. Voices? Where were they coming from? He perked his ears, angling his small head ever so slightly to catch a shiver of sound. They were so… familiar; comforting. He found himself relaxing in spite of his worries, his small heart easing back into its normal pace. Their words made no sense to him, but that hardly mattered. All he wanted was for them to continue; to continue into oblivion.

One voice pulled at his attention more than the others, suddenly sliding into his awareness with a silky touch. It caressed his ears with loving tones, causing him to twitch in euphoria. It stopped for a moment, sending him spiraling into worry. It began again, this time louder than the last. He felt a tapping in his world, a small jerk that scared him every time it echoed. The melodic voice sounded again, but it didn't soothe. It sounded… worried? He started to worry.

The tapping suddenly exploded into his world, shattering his reality in one quick burst. He felt a stinging sensation on his fur as it was kissed by the cold air, and a blindingly bright light assaulted his hardly closed eyes.

He whimpered as he entered the world.

EC

Eladriel gazed down in worry at the shivering body of the Pichu as he slowly emerged from his egg, his eyes still closed and his fur soaking wet with blood. The matriarch scooped the teeny Pokemon in her arms, ignoring the wetness that seeped into her soft fur. She wiped the remnants of blood from his eyes, running her paw along his forehead. "Will he be alright?" She whispered, not taking her eyes from the Pichu in her embrace.

Sorbolis, an elderly Raichu, limped forward from his resting place to Eladriel's shoulder, gazing down at the Pichu with his milky eyes. The older Pokemon furrowed his brow, musing for a moment with his arms clamped firmly behind his back. "It's hard to say." He sighed, shaking his head. "Jegrelias never manage to even glimpse the sun, what with all the dangers of the forest. This orphan is lucky to have drawn his first breath."

Eladriel gave a half-glance the elder's way. The Pikachu stood, keeping the Pichu secured against her warm body, using her heart-tipped tail to keep her balanced with the extra weight. "It is good that the scouts found him in time, then." She murmured, her eyes clouded with memories. "Why Neli'a left him here is beyond my knowledge."

"She may not have had a choice." Sorbolis replied, shaking his head. "The spirits of the woods are weakening, my dear. Our long standing peace is about to shatter."

Eladriel looked up towards the glittering heavens, squinting slightly as the noon sun penetrated its boundaries in the canopy and pierced her eyes. A foreboding wind danced along the spines of all present, sending fur and leaves alike into a flurry.

"So it begins."

EC

Live… Life… Was he alive? Air bled in and out of his lungs, filling his head with stars. He sputtered, trying to stop this painful action, but his body refused, insisting on bringing the air back into his ravaged body. He still existed, that much was certain. But this was different. This existence was colder, harder. No warm, liquid substance offered to insulate him from the world. He was bared to the world, his back exposed to the forces of life. He shivered involuntarily, wishing dearly for the warmth that had comforted before. The Pichu heard something, and he drew farther back into the recess that he now knew as his existence. His eyes were still held shut, as though they had been sewn that way. The unknown enemy drew ever closer, finding the Pichu in an inescapable predicament. He shivered, and started to cry, not knowing what else to do with his knowledge of a single day of life.

But then, everything was warm. A force enveloped him in a protective barrier, soothing him. That… That voice… That voice from his previous existence. It swallowed him into its delicate tones, blurring his fears into dust. A soft pressure issued on his sides, and he felt the ground leave his touch, but he was not afraid; not anymore. The warming voice filled him, and he accepted this new existence gladly.

EC

-Four months later-

"Don't venture too far!" Eladriel called to the diminishing forms of the youngest clan members, rising to the fullest height of her back paws to see their direction of motion.

"You worry too much, matron Eladriel!" The eldest Pichu, Reighgar, replied over his shoulder as he bounded over the fallen log that symbolized the end of the nursery. "We won't go past the great sycamore!"

Eladriel shook her head in exasperation, falling back to her heels, and tucking her tail around her paws. Reighgar was a known liar, but she wasn't allowed to keep them in the nursery past their seventh moon. Clan life came first; the Pichus couldn't be babied forever.

A sudden rustling broke her from her thoughts, though Eladriel did not move. She shifted her weight backwards on her haunches, waiting for her opportunity. Not a moment later, a rather small, four-month-old Pichu came scampering out of the bushes that lined the nursery walls, headed straight for the outlying undergrowth. He skidded past Eladriel, intent on escaping, but was stopped in his tracks by a sudden grip on the scruff of his neck. The matron Pikachu hoisted the Pichu into the air, turning him around as she did, so as to see his guilty face.

"Oh, matron!" He squeaked, squirming in her grip in a futile attempt to escape. "I want to go with Reighgar and the others!"

Eladriel placed her free paw on her hip, and asserted her most potent look of annoyance. The Pichu immediately went limp, his lower lip quivering, and his small eyes downcast. "Now, Tolithus, you know very well that you're too young to go out into the Watchguard. I'd be up to my ears in complaints if I let you out there."

"But Hevandrus got to go! And he's only three-and-a-half moons!" Tolithus sulked, folding his little arms across his yellow-and-black furred chest.

Eladriel sighed, shaking her head. "You aren't allowed to leave the nursery until you are-"

"Seven moons old, I know." Tolithus chanted, still curled up in a ball of annoyance. "You don't make the others stay in the nursery." He added quietly, turning his head away.

"Enough of that!" Eladriel growled, shaking Tolithus slightly. The Pichu whimpered, covering his head with his paws. The matron Pikachu sighed again, rubbing her eyes with her paw. She relaxed her grip on the small Pichu, and he fell lightly to the earth, looking cautiously at the matron. Tolithus took a tentative step backwards, his head cocked slightly, with one back paw raised in the air. "Oh, very well. I do suppose you deserve a day away from the nursery." Eladriel stated, but as she lifted her eyes, she found that Tolithus had already disappeared into the undergrowth after the other Pichus. Eladriel's paws fell to her side as she watched the undergrowth finish its struggle and grow deathly still. "Oh, dear child. Please be careful." She whispered into the winds. "Neli'a… Watch over your son, I pray… An ill wind impregnates the land."

EC

Tolithus charged deep into the dense foliage of the Watchguard, the first outpost of the Clan before the Black River, his yellow fur streaming behind him as he ran. The small Pichu felt utterly exhilarated, his eyes straining to catch a glimpse of every wonder the forest had to offer. Leaves glistened in the morning light, their collections of dew blinking like the stars of the heavens. Trees groaned and swayed in the light breeze of the day, speaking to each other in their silent language. A flock of Pidgey cooed overhead as they woke, their elder caregivers out looking for food. Hoothoot and Noctowl murmured softly in their nests as they rested for the day, waiting for the cover of darkness before they awoke. The entire forest was filled with the scent of adventure, beckoning Tolithus forward. The Pichu readily accepted the calling, diverting his course without a second thought, leaving the well-worn path far behind. He practically floated above the ground as he ran, so cheerful was he. Tolithus leapt over a fallen tree, crashing down to the soft layer of decomposing leaves. He rose and shook himself, a grin still etched on his face.

A noise reverberated from his right, freezing Tolithus in his tracks. The Pichu cocked his head in wonder at the noise, and turned, crawling forward into an Oran bush, keeping his belly low to the ground. The blue berries caressed his head as he crept forward, tempting him to reach up and nibble on their tasty depths. But he shook his head in defiance, determined to locate the source of the disturbance first. Berries came second.

The Oran bush suddenly thinned, leaving Tolithus' head exposed to the light. He quickly pulled back, tucking his ears behind his head to make his body a smaller object of interest. The creature that had made the noise didn't move, an indication that it had not heard Tolithus' presence. The Pichu poked only his nose out from the bush, his black eyes staring under the cover of the leaves.

A female Nidoran nibbled at a sapling not a pawlength away from Tolithus. Her nose moved up and down at a frantic pace as she chewed, indicating that she still looked to her surroundings even during mealtime. She bent down quickly, and scooped up several clippings of grass into her mouth, then reverting to her nigh vertical method of eating. Her ears swiveled as she caught wind of something in the air.

Tolithus scooted backwards, glad that the pungent scent of Oran berries masked his own odor from the sensitive nose of the Nidoran. The Pichu continued to hide, unaware that the Nidoran was non-hostile. Pure exhilaration filled his veins as he watched, feeling like the Pikachu scouts of the Blood Corps. that kept Fearow away from the nursery. Tolithus angled his body to the unsuspecting Nidoran, his shoulders hunched, his tail pointed towards the heavens. Small sparks of electricity bled out from his cheeks, arching along the branches of the Oran bush, and dancing on its crown. The Nidoran hopped away a few steps, her back to Tolithus now. She continued her grazing, this time chomping down on the fruits of a Pecha bush. She made contented noises as she chewed, obviously enjoying her meal.

This was his chance. Tolithus inched forward out of the bush, keeping his ears down to minimize the displacement of air as he moved. The Nidoran turned slightly, causing Tolithus to become completely immobile, but she simply turned to nibble on a leaf that tickled her ear. Tolithus grinned, spiriting away to his right, brushing the edges of the bushes. The Pichu let loose a touch of electricity, allowing it to coat his fur in a protective barrier against potential physical attacks. His fur pointed outwards in small spikes, small twines of electricity arching along their tips, making him look several times bigger. His lips pulled back over his small pointed teeth as he snarled, his eyes narrowing to slits.

The Nidoran's ear swiveled around on her head. Her head soon followed suit, and she squeaked in alarm as she saw the electrified Pichu. "W-who?" She stammered, taking a step backwards.

Tolithus hissed and spat, his spine curving to its full height. "Don't play games!" He shouted, his mind racing in enjoyment. Now he truly felt like a member of the Blood Corps.. "You're here to attack the hatchlings, aren't you?"

The Nidoran shook her head rapidly, fear clouding her eyes. "No, I'm just here for the berries! I didn't do anything!"

"Liar!" Tolithus chimed, inching forward in his crouch, causing the Nidoran to take a few steps back in alarm. "Leave or I'll attack! I swear I will!"

The Nidoran squealed, turned tail and ran. As her blue fur disappeared into the undergrowth, Tolithus let out a cry of victory, raising to his back paws and discharging his stored electricity into the undergrowth.

But at a great cost.

Being as untrained as he was, some of the lancing electricity sparked back at the source, attacking its maker with a full blast. Tolithus was hit by his own attack, hard, and was slammed onto the earth by the sheer force of his backfiring move. His fur crackled and burned as the electricity left a savage burn on his flank. Tolithus let out a cry of agony as he lay there, gripping the grass tightly with his paws as though to alleviate the pain. "Eladriel!" He cried, tears streaming down his face. "Eladriel!"

No one heard the crying Pichu. He lay there for hours, sobbing in agony, until, at last, he cried himself to sleep.

The sky was dark when he awoke, the sun bleeding down below the horizon. Tendrils of darkness seeped forward in the forest, cradling the land in their dark embrace as night slowly took hold of the forest. The nocturnal Pokemon awoke from their daily nap, sending the dark forest into spirals of motion. Zubat and Murkrow swooped overhead, picking off the Caterpie that had wandered from their safe nests. A pack of Poochyena prowled the darkness, looking for whatever herbivorous Pokemon that dared explore the night.

Tolithus unclenched himself slowly from the tight ball of yellow fur he had become during his painful rest, his eyes still glazed over. He rose unsteadily to four paws, quivering as he did so. The Pichu tried to take a step forward, but pitched forward onto the earth. He lay there for a moment, wallowing in self-pity, then rose again. Tolithus spat out the dirt that had managed to enter his mouth on his descent, looking up to the sky for an indication of time.  
He immediately began to panic when he noticed the encroaching darkness that threatened to envelope him. Tolithus gazed around wildly for the direction of his home, terror overtaking his reason, telling him to flee. A small patch of light burned on the horizon, drawing Tolithus' attention and his hopes. Lights… Could they be from the Clan? At night, the elders of the Clan would wait on the borders of the Grove of Eternity, sparking electricity into the sky to warn off any nightly attackers, their power both a ward and a beacon. Was that their call?

Tolithus staggered towards the light, gaining speed and confidence with each step, his blood pounding away the pain in his side. Soon he was running, blurring past the foliage of the forest, his breath coming out in painful gasps as he ran. Tears blinded his vision, so scared was he, that Tolithus could hardly see where he fled. But he scarcely cared.

The light expanded into a burning force, smacking Tolithus hard, and slamming him to a halt. The Pichu scrunched up his nose at a revolting smell, perking his ears up in confusion. He had only been at the Grove of Eternity a few times previous, but it smelled of new beginnings, of hope and love, but this scent tore at his nose with painful gashes. And that light… The elders sent up a soft, angelic yellow light into the skies, but this light… It was the color of blood, carrying along with it the same acrid tang.

This wasn't the Grove.

That realization sent shivers down Tolithus' small form, and he staggered backwards out of the reach of the bloody light. He cowered down close to the ground, trying very hard to not be noticed by the shapes that moved around in the heart of the demonic light.

Tolithus didn't know the species of Pokemon that prowled around the burning grove. Their fur was as black as the abyss. Their maws were stained the color of blood, and they wore skulls proudly on their brows. Bones the color of dead silver traced their spines in a perpendicular pattern, with only two protrusions per beast. Worse were the bigger monsters that dotted the edges of the smaller Pokemon pack. They had devilish horns curving back over their skulls, and wickedly tipped tails that whipped about in the fire. Tolithus whimpered as he watched the beasts spit fire from their jaws, coating the once serene forest in an inferno. Several of the smaller creatures had captured a flock of Pidgeys, all of whom they were raucously tormenting with flecks of fire spurting from their fangs. When one of the small birds could take no more of the searing torture and lay down to die, the monsters readily ripped into its still living body with obvious pleasure, splattering the burning land with boiling blood.

Tolithus couldn't watch anymore, but just as he turned to flee, another beast emerged into the fire. It was unlike anything that Tolithus had ever seen, walking on only two of its legs, with the other two, rather smaller appendages folded in front of its chest. It had no maw, but a rather smashed looking face with fur lining only the top of its head. Unlike the creatures it walked with, it had not a single patch of fur covering the rest of its body. Instead, it had on what looked like pure white Stantler skins, with a red symbol emblazed on the front. It barked orders to the rest of its pack, speaking in a language Tolithus could not understand, and coming to a standstill at the side of one of the largest monsters. The rest of the beasts lined up in a perfect flicker of motion, ignoring the fires that still licked at the forest walls.

Tolithus scampered backwards, skidding into the forest with all the speed he could muster. His heart pounded into his ears as he heard the war cries of the beasts behind him, their howls tearing a hole into his soul. He rushed on and on, fears driving him forward like a spear into the night. His left paw ripped savagely against sharp rocks as he ran, causing a deep gash to tear into the pads on the bottom of his foot. But still he ignored it, leaving a glistening trail of blood behind him in the forest light.

He ran for past an eternity, leaving the red light far behind. The glowing bloody eyes of the monsters followed him where ever he went, however. Tolithus couldn't discern if they were real or imagined, causing his senses to run in an overdrive, confusing the Pichu to a greater and greater degree. He rammed his eyes shut, running blindly through the woods.

Tolithus suddenly came to a shattering halt as he crashed into something rather solid, bowling over the thing that barred his way. He screamed, raking down with his small claws, trying to bite whatever he could of this new threat.

"Tolithus! Tolithus, stop!" A familiar voice crashed into his fear filled world, suddenly drowning him in realization.

"E-Eladriel…?" Tolithus stammered, opening his eyes only a fraction, still unable to believe that it was the matron whom had come to his rescue. The kindly face of the matron Pikachu stared back at him with relief in her eyes.

"Oh, Tolithus! You're safe!" Eladriel cried, rising to her paws, and placing the battered Pichu on the earth in front of her. Her maw curved into a smile as she ran a paw over Tolithus' forehead, smoothing down his ruffled fur. She cupped his face in her paws, gazing down at his eyes with a scrutinizing gaze. "You look like you had quite the adventure. I'd say its time for you to go back to the… Tolithus, what happened?" Eladriel gazed in absolute horror at the savage burn on the Pichu's flank, the dark mark still glistening red from the touch of electricity. She fussed over the wound, wiping away what blood she could to better asses the damage.

"I-I used an electric attack…" Tolithus admitted, cringing at Eladriel's touch.

"What?" Eladriel exclaimed, looking up from her work to the guilty Pichu's face. "You used an electric attack?" She fell back a step, her eyes wide. "So…so early. How did you manage to do it?"

Tolithus cocked his head. "I dunno. I just…wanted to."

Eladriels stare of wonder soon faded into a glare of disappointment. "You know the rules. No Pichu under six moons may unleash an electric attack without the supervision of a Pikachu. You could have killed yourself!"

"I know… I'm sorry, matron." The adrenaline started to wear out of Tolithus' body, causing him to cringe in pain at his injuries. "But… Eladriel!" Tolithus bowed forward in fear. "I-I saw something in the forest. Monsters… M-monsters that breathed fire!"

The Pikachu froze, her eyes suddenly gazing far out into the night. "What? Monsters?"

"They were big and black… Th-they wore bones on their bodies, and…and ate the other Pokemon of the forest!" Tolithus shuddered, trying to recall the beasts as best he could for the matron. "Their mouths were covered in blood… And there were bigger ones… Bigger ones with horns and devil tails…" The Pichu looked up at the frightened gaze of the matron, tears falling from his small, black eyes. "What are they?"

Eladriel didn't answer for several moments, her eyes still gazing out into the distant beyond. "Houndour and Houndoom…" She whispered, visibly trembling in fear. "Their fire… The scouts have been tracking them for days. They said the pack had diverted course, and wandered far from the Clan…" Eladriel's gaze suddenly stabbed at Tolithus, fear bleeding from her eyes. "Where did you see them?"

Tolithus pulled back from the matron's sudden change of mood, fearful. "I-I don't know. I followed their light."

"Light?" Eladriel paused for a moment, and then slowly lifted her head to the heavens. Her eyes widened, and her breathing quickened as she saw the great burst of light in the night sky. It had grown in massive bounds since Tolithus had first encountered it, revealing that the dark pack was on the move. "Oh no…" Eladriel whispered, backing up a step. Without preamble, the Pikachu scooped up Tolithus in her arms, swinging him over her back as she crouched down on all fours. "Hold on tight, child," was all she offered before Eladriel charged into the undergrowth.

The Pikachu leapt over fallen logs and decaying leaves, their pungent scents overridden by a darker smell on the air. Pidgeys took flight from their nests, screeching in alarm at the approaching doom. Nidoran, Rattata, Furret, and all other manner of forest life scurried out of their hiding places, crying in fear as they attempted to escape the oncoming inferno. "If we hurry," Eladriel gasped between breaths, never slowing down. "Maybe we can warn the Blood Corps. in… time…" The Pikachu slowed to a sudden, horrified halt as she gazed upon the Grove of Eternity. The great trees that lined the edges of the Grove were bathed in a bloody fire, their limbs snapping and crackling under the heat. Dozens of black shapes bled into the Grove, fire blasting out of their jaws. The dark Pokemon eagerly snapped up any Pikachu that wandered near their reach, and gladly exploded the rest of the Clan with the deadly blaze that escaped their bodies. The Clanborn scampered about the Grove in a frenzied panic, attempting at all costs to save their own lives.

Eladriel froze for a fraction of a second, the terrible light of the Houndoom's fire dancing in her eyes. "Sorbolis…" She whispered. The matron Pikachu rushed down the slope, slipping several times as she did on the blood of the newly dead. Tolithus buried his head deep into Eladriel's fur, trying with all his might to keep out the cries of the dying. Eladriel skidded to a stop in front of an alcove under several rocks. A small spring trickled into the gap, keeping the foliage around the rocks safe from the deadly inferno. The matron reached behind her, gripping Tolithus on his scruff. She swung him around, and roughly stuffed him into the niche, keeping one eye on the activity around her. "Tolithus," She whispered, crouching low to the ground to keep her voice out of reach to the enemies. "Stay here. I'll be back for you."

Tolithus watched in mute horror as his caregiver turned, and sped off into the night, her tail vanishing into the fire. The small Pichu, unexposed but afraid, curled into the back of the damp cave, and wrapped his tail over his nose. He shivered in absolute terror as a smaller black beast came charging past his hiding spot, but the little Pokemon went unnoticed. He listened to the cries of the dying, saw their blood splash onto the earth not an inch away from the opening of his cave. Fire licked the entrance of the rock, threatening to enter, but the life-giving spring kept it at bay.

Then, as suddenly as it had begun, the earth went silent.


	2. Plots

Chapter two

Plots

Smoke still poisoned the air that morning, tingeing the world in a monochromatic state. No breeze tickled the trees. No bird Pokemon chirped in welcoming the new day. All echoes were immediately silenced by a common hush that permeated the forest. The land itself was dead, wallowing in agony at the eternal flames from the attack the night before. On the lip of the valley's edge stood the instrument of the terror, command surrounding the air like a plague: man. He dressed in a stark white uniform, a red R emblazed boldly on the front, with his arms and legs covered in a shining black material. His beard curved down across his neck, pointed and neatly trimmed in the image of a spear. His eyes narrowed as he looked over the work of his Pokemon.

He kicked the remnants of a corpse down into the belly of the valley, his face scrunched up into a mask of distaste. "Nasty little vermin." He growled, clenching and unclenching his fists.

Creed, alpha of the Houndoom, slunk up to his masters side, keeping his horned head as low to the ground as possible. The Houndoom bowed forward, brushing the dirt with his nose in a sign of greeting. "Master," the Houndoom murmured, raising his head only a fraction, but keeping his eyes lowered in a subject of submission. "The pack has all been gathered. The extermination is complete, and we await your orders to proceed."

The man nodded. He lifted one hand up to his ear, intently listening as he did so. He clicked the small transmitter on his ear, transferring it from translator to communicator in a split second. A small buzz signaled that the conversion was a success, and instantly a voice reverberated from the depths of the communicator.

"Well?"

The man lowered his hand, his face splitting into a grin. His black arms folded tightly across his chest as he shifted his weight from one foot to the other. "The order is complete." He stated, his eyes continuing to rove over the destruction of the forest. Several fires still flickered in the devastation, a testament to the absolute power of a Houndoom's abilities. "The forest has been cleared of the tribal Pikachu. Requesting permission to–"

"What of the Carrier?" The dark voice interrupted, the static over the line making it impossible to discern who was talking.

"The Carrier?" The man repeated, his eyes flickering to the side as though to catch a glimpse of whom he was talking to. A wave of recognition danced across his face.

"The object of the mission, need I remind you, agent Blackfire, was to retrieve the Carrier intact." The voice paused over the link for a moment. "You were under strict orders to bring it back alive."

"I received no such notification!" Agent Blackfire retorted, causing Creed to take a precautionary step back. "My orders came from the Inner Sanctum themselves; a direct line with the mission only an extermination act."

"Our records hold that you were on route to recover the Carrier." The voice responded casually. "Such a disregard for orders on a mission such as this," Blackfire growled, rage manipulating his visage. "Well, it's the premise for treason."

"You dare–?"

"Yes, I dare, agent Blackfire. Unless you bring back the Carrier alive, I will have to give the order of extermination." The voice paused again. Pages ruffled in the background, muffling the distant sounds of screams. "We don't care how long it takes. Report back within 48 hours with an update."

"Yes, sir." Agent Blackfire snarled, clicking the transmitter back to translator with such force that he ripped it from his ear. The connective straps that attached the comm to his ear ripped deep gashes into his skin as it fell, causing blood to seep down his face. Blackfire swerved around, his glare coming to a halt at Creed's face. "Round up the pack. Search the forest." He bent down, scooping up the transmitter in his hand. Blackfire twisted it around in his fingers, looking deeply into the small device. "Bring me any word of life."

Creed bowed his head again, then scampered out of harms way from the Team Rocket lieutenant. The Houndoom ran along the winds towards the encampment of his pack, his ears teeming backwards for any sign of his master. The Pokemon shivered inwardly at the thought of what may happen to him if his master was met with displeasure.

The forest thinned rapidly into a blackened clearing where the pack rested, stopping Creed from his flight. The Houndour and Houndoom lifted their heads, ears trained forward. Not a single one of them spoke, knowing full well their place in the hierarchy. "Awake, my friends." Creed called, lifting his head towards the heavens, whipping his tail back and fourth as a signal to action. "Our master has sent orders of a search." The pack let out eager barks, several rising to their feet in anticipation. "The hunt is located for a beast of life. Bring back whatever you can find _alive_ and return it to this place within the next 48 hours."

The pack rose to their collective paws, letting out a haunting howl as one entity. The dark-fire Pokemon split off into the woods, leaving the clearing empty within a matter of moments.

Creed glanced over his shoulder towards the direction of his master, shivering inwardly. "Whatever happens, we must not fail."

EC

"So it begins again…"

The room was bathed in a moody light, the single candle giving off but a puff of visibility. Stacks of paper lay forgotten in the recesses of the small wooden chamber, their edges yellowing from decades of neglect. Chairs, long since broken and rotted, covered the well worn floor in a stagnant carpet. The only standing piece of furniture was an ancient table resting against the far wall under the shuttered window. At this table sat a Pokemon trainer, her brow furrowed in concentration, her red eyes scanning the text upon a sheet of crumbling paper. She frowned, flipping over the papers roughly, causing several of them to fracture, and dissolve upon the wooden surface of the table. "Such precautions were taken that this should never have happened again." She murmured to herself, running her fingers through her short brown hair in agitation. "Arceus… the pact has been broken…"

The Pokemon trainer sighed, rising from her hunched position over the desk. She placed both her hands firmly on the edge of the desk, and pushed backwards, causing several snaps to echo off her back as she popped it over the top of the antique chair. Sighing in gratification, she shoved backwards, moving the chair out of her way with a rather unpleasant screech, and stood. Scooping up her glasses from their resting place beside the tabletop candle and placing them just below the line of her eyes, causing her iris to shift from pure red to a deep brown, the trainer proceeded out of the dark room. She gripped the rusting handle of the door, and with a final glance back at the study, exited the room, the buffet from the door causing the light of the candle to diminish.

"Well?"

The Pokemon trainer looked up, banishing her thoughts to the abyss of her mind. She smiled in reply, but the grin was short lived. The questioner, her snow white Lucario, rose from his seat, his frown deeply set. "It's as we thought." She murmured, sighing. "The curse was supposed to keep the malicious condition at bay, as you know. But…" She paused, folding her arms and looking away. "I'm afraid something has weakened the barrier, while evading dispelling the curse."

"And that means…" The Lucario whispered, padding to his trainers side, his gaze resting on her face.

"I know..." She replied, lifting her eyes to match that of her Lucario. "We have no choice but to continue, Kael. If things are left the way they are, Tirus and Kyron will inevitably discover the cure, and not even the might of Arceus will be able to stop them."

The world faded into silence. The two stood in the hallway of the abandoned home, each lost in their respective thoughts, unable to speak for fear of interrupting the other.

"I'm afraid, Kael…" The trainer whispered, shifting her focus to the battered window that revealed the forest beyond. The wind billowed beyond the reaches of the wooden abode, sending the trees into a flurry of motion, heralding the oncoming storm. The Lucario, Kael, placed his paw on her shoulder, offering no words of comfort but acting as a silent support.

"Despite everything we've done, Tirus continues with his designs. Even his son…" The trainer trailed off, her eyes clouded with memories.

"Giovanni," Kael offered.

"Yes… His son, Giovanni, continues with his ideals. They've set up an elite assassin's corps, Team Rocket from what I've heard, and are using them to revert the world back to the way it was before Arceus intervened. The disease has been spreading without the intervention of the curse." The trainer moved over to the open window, placing her elbows on the edge, and gazed outwards, her mind occupied. "Also, from what I've been able to gather, Kyron is leading the cult. He carries out Tirus' orders directly."

"So they have been using this… Team Rocket, was it? ... As a cover?" Kael continued, folding his arms across his chest. "But what are they hoping to gather?"

"They seek their origins." The trainer replied. "They look for the eventual release of their spirits."

Once again, silence blanketed the hut. The storm outside worsened, sending the foliage into a frenzied dance. Small flecks of rain plipped onto the window, their tears drawing stark lines down the dusty surface of the glass as they fell. The trainer looked up to the heavens, her eyes narrowing as she saw the skies become fogged with bloated storm clouds.

"We should go." She murmured. The trainer slipped her hand to her belt, unclipping two Pokeballs from their resting place. She enlarged one with a quick click on the smaller circles in the face of the Pokeball, and threw the other to Kael. "Travel at full speed. Something is amiss in Viridian forest. I believe Tirus is involved."

Pokemon and trainer exited the building side by side, the wind buffeting their faces. The trainer paused for a moment to look towards the east, pulling the fur lined sleeves of her jacket farther up her arms. A tendril of smoke, far darker than the clouds above, tailed into the sky. Her eyes narrowed slightly.

In unison, two great bursts of light exploded from their respective Pokeballs, materializing into the shape of two majestic Rapidash. The fire bearing horses neighed, tossing their heads and stomping their hooves in anticipation of the journey. The slightly larger one, a silver-mane'd Rapidash, sauntered over to the Pokemon trainer, lowering her already bridled head to eye level. The trainer ran her hand over the Rapidash's skull, taking the reigns in the other.

"Tell Pyre and Exodus of our destination, Kael." She said quietly, moving to tighten the saddle on her Rapidash, Pyre.

"Yes, lady Emayla." Kael replied, bowing. The tendrils of fur on the back of his head rose into the air as the white Lucario entered the thoughts of the two fire Pokemon. He relayed all that had transpired in the hut quickly, wanting to be on the move with all haste. Kael severed the connection as the tale was over, his mind slightly blurred from the rush of Psychic powers. Shaking his head in annoyance at his weakness, he stepped backwards, his muscles tensing. Crouching back onto the grass, he sprung into the air, landing perfectly on the saddle of Exodus. Kael secured his feet into the stirrups, and gripped the saddle horn with his free paw. "Shall we?" He asked, glancing over at his master, Emayla, with a grin etched on his face.

Emayla returned the smile with one of her own, sitting on her saddle with ease. She turned Pyre towards the smoke, running her fingers along the length of the reigns in worry. The rain from the clouds above evaporated at they reached the inferno of the two Rapidash, cloaking the companions in a halo of fog. Pyre tossed her head again, letting out a neigh of anxiousness. "Alright, then." Digging her heels into Pyre's flank, Emayla drove the Rapidash towards the light-bathed land of Kanto. The fire horse exploded forward, reaching her top speed in a matter of seconds, her hooves a blur upon the grass laden slope. Kael followed soon after, his own steed a fraction of a second behind Pyre.

Within a few minutes they had left the great arms of Mount Silver far behind, wrapping in a slightly southern course to avoid the lights and sounds of the Indigo Plateau. Grass and trees parted in their wake. Pokemon scampered out of harms way as the Rapidash flashed by.

As the sounds of the Indigo Plateau faded into the background, so did the rain, giving way to an acrid cloud of decay. It hung above the land like a demon, its fingers extending far beyond its home in the Viridian forest. Avoiding the normal routes of other Pokemon trainers, the two mowed through the back roads and forests separating the Viridian forest and the Indigo Plateau, and quickly found themselves on the brink of the once active forest, the shadow of the smoke casting the land into an early night.

Emayla pulled Pyre to a stop at the edge of the silent trees, with Kael halting just to her left. The Rapidash of both riders nickered in agitation, pacing slightly backwards, their eyes rolled back. "Can you feel it…?" Emayla whispered, crouching down lower on her saddle. Her hand inched back towards her Pokeballs, stroking the surface of the containment units as she waited.

Kael pulled back hard on his reigns in an attempt to stop Exodus, who was on the verge on tossing the Lucario from his back. "Yes." He replied in equal volume, reaching up to pat his Rapidash on his neck. "Calm, Exodus."

Emayla swung her leg over the side of her saddle, sliding down Pyre's side and landing lightly at her feet on the soft grass. She slipped out the two empty Pokeballs of Pyre and Exodus, clicking on the retrieval mechanism on the center of the ball. Instantly, the two Rapidash turned into flickering light silhouettes of themselves, their energy transferring into the safety of the Pokeball. In the same flash if movement, Emayla swapped the two laden Pokeballs with another from her belt. She raised it to eye level, gazing at the rather worn Pokeball with adoration dancing in her eyes. With a click, the Pokeball flew open, allowing the collected power to spin out of its depths. The light materialized into a large Sceptile, who stood regally between Emayla and Kael.

"Syhn," Emayla greeted the Sceptile with a subtle brush along his arm, causing the Pokemon to look down at his trainer with a calm gaze. "Something is amiss in the forest. Keep to the shadows until the need arises. We need to locate the source of that cloud."

Syhn looked up towards the sickly sky, his eyes narrowing. The Sceptile nodded, and suddenly vanished. The rustle of leaves at the edge of the forest told the story of his passing, but said nothing else, for Syhn had become a shadow of the forest.

"Alright, Kael," Emayla whispered. She walked forward slowly, eyeing each and every movement of the woods for a sign of what had transpired, her faithful Lucario following at her right. The forest breathed death into their lungs, its silence tangible. Though the foliage at the entrance to the woods was intact and living, the heat and smell of a thousand fires immediately swallowed the two in its deadly embrace. Not a single Pokemon moved in the darkness, not a creature breathed.

As they continued on, the life in the forest grew more and more sparse, giving way to charred husks of foliage. Several areas were all but obliterated by some kind of massive fire, leaving an almost perfect circle of absolute destruction. It was here that the bodies of hundreds upon thousands of Pokemon lay, their blasted and torn forms thrown in hasty mounds, the acrid tang of decay a cloying influence. Emayla covered her mouth with her hand, faltering back a step in horror.

Kael continued forward, his stance defensive. Skirting past a still burning fire, the white Lucario padded up to one of the smaller piles, keeping one paw over his nose in an attempt to stay the stench of the clearing. Using his free paw, Kael shifted aside the smoldering bodies of the forest dwelling Pokemon, occasionally lifting their heads to look at their petrified faces. He pulled his paw away, the white fur drenched in blackened blood up to his shoulder. "Whoever did this," He growled, backing away from the pile. "They knew what they were doing. The fire attacks were aimed expertly to kill the Pokemon in the shortest amount of time, giving the assailants the ability to completely annihilate this forest in mere hours." He glanced over his shoulder to Emayla. "There might not be much of a forest left to save, m'lady."

Emayla bent down to the dirt, running her hand over the corpse of a Teddiursa. Her fingers trailed over the tiny Pokemon's eyes, gently lowering the lids over its dead gaze. "Regardless," She whispered, rising to her full height. "We must search this land for survivors. They may be untrained, wild Pokemon, but they know how to endure better than any battle hardened Pokemon I've ever seen."

Kael nodded.

Emayla moved to her Pokemon's side, brushing his arm in reassurance as she did so. "Come." She murmured, taking position at Kael's right. They stood in silence for a moment, their heads bowed in reverence. A sudden wind whispered in the grove, brushing across the corpses of the Pokemon. It hummed, bringing with it a flicker of peace; a trace of hope. Emayla raised her head to the heavens, looking up at the gray sky above. A minute break appeared in the clouds, allowing the smallest amount of light to trickle into the dead forest. It danced about the bodies of the Pokemon, seeming to grow in strength and beauty as it did so. The wind picked up again, and just as subtly as it had come, the light vanished, leaving the grove as bleak and desolate as before. "Thank you, Arceus."

In unison, the two rushed forward, all semblance of caution vanquished. They skirted past the burnt clearing, diverting slightly east, following a trail of destruction. "It seems that whoever did this didn't bother with stealth."

"That either means they were too strong to be intimidated, or there were a lot of them," Kael agreed, wrapping around a blasted tree that blocked his path, making almost a complete circle before returning to his trainer's side. He glanced back at the charred remnants of the trunk, his eyes narrowing. "Judging by the damage they've caused, I'd say it's the latter. They sought to frighten all the stronger Pokemon away with their onrush of attacks, leaving the smaller ones for their games."

Emayla growled. "This forest reeks of Tirus." The sun dipped low over the far mountain peaks, sending the forest into a thick darkness, causing trainer and Pokemon to stop. Emayla lifted her hand in front of her face, squinting as she found that her eyesight was diminished to the point of non-existence. "Kael…"

"I am aware," The Lucario stated. Kael gripped his trainer's arm, closing his eyes, allowing his senses to take over. The world became a blue-tinged image in his mind as he read the aura of the land. The trees merged into swirling shapes of dormant energy, their silhouettes towering over the smaller pools of aura belonging to the undergrowth that dotted the forest floor. A larger influx of energy seeped in from the very heart of the forest, its aura tainted. "There's something up ahead. I can't tell what from this distance, but I can assure you, it's the source of what we're looking for."

"Alright. Lead the way."

Kael proceeded onwards, keeping his pace slow and measured, making sure Emayla could find the pathway he had selected. He pulled her along for several long minutes, the polluted aura pool growing larger and stronger with each step. The Lucario stopped abruptly, causing Emayla to ram into his side. She staggered, gripping Kael for support.

"A little warning next time?" She whispered in amusement as she regained her composure.

"Shhh…" Kael murmured, opening his eyes. He blinked several times in amazement as he found he could see. Fires burned just outside of his reach, their bloody light casting deadly shadows on the world. The Lucario faltered as he saw the scene behind the entrance fires, his eyes widening in horror.

Emayla, her own eyes closed, turned her head in response to Kael's sudden fear. "What–?" Her eyes flew open, stunning her for a moment as the bright lights slapped her gaze. Words flew from her mouth. The trainer fell to her knees as she watched, one hand still gripping Kael.

The Grove of Eternity, a sacred place where wild Pokemon could talk to Arceus himself, was utterly obliterated. The Great Tree that stood in the very heart of the Grove was ablaze, its limbs creaking in agony. All around the burning tree stood a ring of Houndoom, feeding the inferno with blasts of dark fire from their bloody maws. Circling the rim of the flames trailed a cult of Houndour, many of them holding screaming baby Pokemon. Every few moments, a Houndour would toss one of the infants into the fire, howling in victory as the Pokemon burned. As the fire claimed sacrifice, the Houndour would let out blood-curdling howls, their jaws pointed collectively towards the pillar of unholy smog. All around the edges of the Grove traveled a battalion of Houndour, bringing forth new prey, and stalking back out in search of more. Just outside the disc of sacrifice stood a man, his apathetic gaze barely trained towards the fire, his arms folded in front of his chest.

The two companions veered on the lip of the valley, frozen in horror. Emayla was the first to move, wrenching her gaze away from the macabre scene of the fires towards the man. Her eyes widened in disbelief. "B-Blackfire…?" She whispered.

Kael managed to avert his gaze, turning his attention to Emayla. "That man?" He growled, half-glancing towards the Team Rocket lieutenant.

"He… He died three years ago. Back in Lavender…"

Kael's ears perked up in recognition. "At the research facility?" When his trainer nodded, the Lucario barred his fangs. "We killed that worm ourselves! He couldn't have survived!"

"Under the tutelage of Tirus, I fear that nothing is impossible anymore." Emayla glanced towards the edges of the trees. "Syhn, I believe you're needed."

The Sceptile appeared immediately at his trainer's side, snarling as he watched the Houndour continue their sacrificial dance. The grass Pokemon crouched down to the burnt grass, his muscles tensing.

"Hold, Syhn." Emayla whispered. She rose slowly, reaching behind her as she did. "I wasn't aware there would be this many. We need everyone."

Syhn glanced his trainer's way, but said nothing.

Seven flashes of light heralded the entrance of the rest of Emayla's team. "Rowell," Emayla whispered, glancing towards her Ampharos. "You and Keiva bank to the western end of the forest. Cut off the supply lines." Rowell nodded, electricity sparking off his tail, while the Luxray, Keiva, barked her approval. "Inam," She continued, turning her gaze to her Lapras. "Take Eternity and save the Great Tree. I don't care how you get there, but stop those fires." The Lapras and Vaporeon nodded. "Skye, you're with Xavier. Capture Blackfire." Without waiting for further instructions, the Pidgeot and Charizard took to the skies, their wings leaving a trail of ash. Emayla held Kael's gaze for a long moment as her team split off into the forest. "Kael, you and Syhn are coming with me." The two Pokemon quietly voiced their approval, each taking position on either side of Emayla.

They remained absolutely still as they waited, never once taking their eyes from the Pokemon below. An ice beam suddenly burst into the fray, scattering the Houndour, and signaling the rest of the ambush. "Now!" Emayla yelled. From all sides the attacks came, barreling down into the dark Pokemon with such force to rip their bodies apart even before the assailants had shown their faces. Kael and Syhn dashed down the slope, heading directly towards the sacrificial Pokemon surrounding the Great Tree. A rather large Houndoom broke from the cult as they neared, dashing forward to the Pokemon who dared challenge his authority, flanked on either side by two war-torn Houndoom. As one, the dark-fire Pokemon reared back their heads, fire tickling their throats as they prepared to attack. Syhn split off to the right, lowering his shoulder to keep his body close to the ground. The Sceptile turned at an impossible speed, extending his arm-blades towards the exposed neck of one of the flanking Houndoom. With not even a protest, the Pokemon fell to the ground, its throat ripped open. The blood from the fallen companion splattered the other two, distracting them from their attack, causing their fire to spit out into the night, far from their intended target. Kael sent a grin Syhn's way, silently thanking the Sceptile for giving him this opening. The white Lucario barreled into the lead Houndoom, sending his paw-spikes directly into the Pokemon's eyes. The Houndoom let out a guttural roar, throwing back his head in agony. The dark fire beast reared back, his fangs glistening from the fallen blood of hundreds of dead Pokemon. He lanced forward, intending to skewer the Lucario on his shoulder, but his jaws closed over nothing but air. Kael sprung out of his improvised dodge, curling back into the charred grass, and blasting forward back at the Houndoom. Syhn danced around the battling two, breaking towards the second flanking guard. This time, the Sceptile's claws glowed with an inner light, a sphere of power glittering in his palm. With unnatural agility, he jammed his claws forward into the flanks of the Houndoom. The Pokemon let out a yelp, reaching back with his jaws to try and sever the claws from his body. But he froze in mid-movement, his body suddenly becoming shriveled and lifeless. The Houndour became a husk, a shrunken bundle of furs as Syhn finished his Giga Drain. The Sceptile roared as new life entered his body, throwing the corpse down to the earth, and charged deeper into the concentration of enemies.

Inam let loose another Hydro Pump, aimed directly towards the Houndour that blocked his way to the Great Tree. The dog Pokemon crumpled before the sheer force of the attack, their shattered bodies falling in heaps beneath the onslaught. Eternity skidded along the underbelly of the Hydro Pump, letting loose her attacks whenever a Houndour dared come too close. As Inam's force came to a halt, she scampered underneath the stomach of a Houndour, grinning as she did so. Before the Pokemon above had even time to look at the small creature under him, he was sent spiraling towards the heavens by a powerful wave. The Surf attack sliced down the center of the Houndour pack, crushing them under its sheer might. Inam reared back as the attack neared him, letting out a percussive wave of his own, allowing the Lapras to ride along the winds toward the Great Tree. Eternity sunk beneath the rush of water, slipping down the currents towards the struggling Houndour. The Vaporeon slithered along their bodies towards their necks, where she delivered a devastating bite, cutting their jugular vein in an instant, coloring the water a deep red.

Keiva scanned the forest with her keen eyes, flicking her tail as a signal to the waiting Rowell. The two electric Pokemon disappeared into the night after several fleeing Houndour, communicating with one anther through a series of electrical flashes. The Luxray closed in on a whimpering Houndour, her fangs glistening with sparks. Her jaw flashed forward, her merciless eyes gleaming in triumph as she felt the warm blood of the Houndour fill her mouth, popping and sizzling as it did. The dark fire Pokemon twitched as the invasion of electricity from the Thunder Fang poured into his body, entering a series of involuntary spasms as he died. Tossing the lifeless corpse away, Keiva bled into the woods, becoming part of the shadows as she waited for another opportunity to strike. Rowell flashed past her, his tail gleaming in the dead light. The Ampharos didn't fear his visibility, using it as a beacon for the Houndour to flock to. On cue, a Houndour came crashing out of the undergrowth, his fangs doused in fire. Rowell turned on the spot, whipping his claws around as he did so. The charged impact of the Thunder Punch sent the Houndour slamming back into a tree, causing the bark to groan and shudder under the impact. The Pokemon slipped to the ground, his life vanquished, leaving behind a foot deep indent in the side of the tree.

Skye and Xavier circled above, waiting for their opportunity to strike. The man below was surrounded by a pack of Houndoom, each ready and willing to die for their master. Their chance came a moment later when Kael and Syhn blasted apart their ranks, tearing into Houndoom after Houndoom, their bodies drenched in blood. As the pack attempted to reorganize itself under the assault of the two Pokemon, Skye and Xavier came swooping down out of the clouds. Skye angled her body to the side, sliding into the center of the Houndoom's newly created ranks. The Pidgeot raked outwards with her deadly talons, ripping into the face of a surprised Houndoom, splashing the muddy ground with a new coating of blood. Before the dark fire Pokemon had time to react, Skye had already banked back into the heavens, circling back around for another attack. Xavier took hold of Skye's distraction, lunging down towards the Team Rocket lieutenant, his claws outstretched. The Charizard gripped the man roughly on his shoulders, causing the human to cry out in pain and alarm. The Houndoom below turned to the plight of their master, letting loose a collective blast of fire to stop Xavier. The Charizard let out a roar of triumph, turning over on his side as the fire glanced along his scaly back, leaving not a mark on the fire lizard. The man struggled in Xavier's grip, attempting with all his might to break free. Xavier snarled in annoyance, ripping one of his hands out of the man's shoulder to deliver a percussive slam on his head. The man immediately went limp.

The battle faded into silence. Emayla's Pokemon finished off the remnants of Blackfire's pack, and soon all of them were gathered in front of their trainer. As Inam and Eternity completed smoldering the fires atop the Great Tree, Xavier flew down with the unconscious man dangling in his claws. The Charizard placed Blackfire on the blackened earth at Emayla's feet, and landed heavily next to Skye.

Kael stepped forward from the group, his fur still dripping in the blood of his enemies. He glanced at Emayla, who nodded in approval. Crouching down, the white Lucario placed his paws on either side of Blackfire's head, closing his eyes to allow the connection to strengthen. Kael's eyes tightened in pain as his Psychic abilities were unleashed, allowing him to delve deep into the man's mind.

Emayla, concerned by the suffering lancing along the face of her Lucario, placed her hand on his shoulder in support, kneeling down beside him.

Kael let out a burst of air as the connection was severed, leaning back on the ground. His gaze trailed downwards.

"Well?" Emayla asked, worry coloring her tone.

The white Lucario shook his head slowly. "It was an extermination order given by Kyron himself. This man was to kill anything and everything in the forest, focusing mainly on the Clan of Pikachu that lived here in the Grove. His memories have particular emphasis on killing the younger Pokemon…" Kael trailed off.

Minutes ticked by slowly, all the Pokemon in the Grove glancing at each other with similar visages of horror.

"Anything else?" Emayla pressed.

"Yes," Kael continued, looking up at the smoke choked sky. "It seems that after all was said and done, that he received contradicting information. Apparently, Tirus didn't want him to kill the Pokemon here. He only wanted the retrieval of a single Pokemon. This man was looking for that particular survivor when we arrived; someone called the 'Carrier'."

"So it seems Tirus and Kyron don't have similar interests anymore." Emayla whispered. "But why would it be Tirus who sought a single Pokemon? For what reasons?"

Kael shook his head. "I don't know. This man had been given sketchy information at best."

Silence fell over the valley, the wind the only sound that dared interrupt.

Kael glanced down at the man. "He'll be awake in a couple of hours. We'd better get him back to town before then."

Emayla nodded. She motioned for Xavier, who came without a moment's hesitation. "Take him to Viridian. They have a well fortified jail there. With any luck, he'll be in there long enough for the police to give him his sentence."

Xavier nodded, growling slightly in annoyance as he picked up the man with his claws. The Charizard dug deeply into Blackfire's flesh as he took off, not bothering to offer any comforts to his enemy.

"Return to us when you have done so!" Emayla called as the flame-tipped tail of her Charizard vanished over the trees.

Clicking reverberated along the valley as the trainer returned her team to their respective Pokeballs, temporarily illuminating the Grove with a wavering light. Only Kael remained at her side, slowly rising to his paws as the light faded. The white Lucario lifted one of his paws into the air, allowing a silvery glowing orb created by pure aura to resonate from his body. "Seeing as there is no need for secrecy," He murmured, the light from his aura giving a soft glow to the corpse filled dell.

A small scuffling whispered off in the distance, drawing the attention of both the companions. "What was that?" Emayla whispered, taking a step forward, crouching lower to the ground in preparation of an attack.

Kael lowered the glow of this aura sphere, darkening the landscape. "I don't know," He said in an undertone. The white Lucario closed his eyes briefly, the tendrils of fur on the back of his head rising, signifying the use of his powers. When he opened his eyes, his face broke into a smile. Without explaining to Emayla his actions, the Lucario hurried forward, his generated light growing brighter with each step. The Pokemon trainer followed closely behind, confused at Kael's actions.

The white Lucario came to a stop near the far edge of the Grove. Before him lay a pile of stones, a tiny opening at the front, with a small spring trickling forth from its mouth. Emayla looked down at the pile, perplexed, casting a glance Kael's way. The Lucario offered an answer only with a wave of his paw, indicating to the small gap in the front. Emayla crouched down, her stomach brushing the charred grass as she looked into the small cave. At the very back hid a small, frightened looking Pichu, his eyes glazed over in pain, his tail curled over his paws in defense.


	3. Respite

Chapter three

Respite

Tolithus pulled back in the depths of his sanctuary, growling slightly as the face of the strange creature blocked the faint silver light from outside. His yellow fur expanded, crackling with a warning of electricity as the creature outside moved. "S-stay back!" He cried out, his voice breaking in fear.

The beast backed up slightly, speaking softly in a language Tolithus couldn't understand. The Pichu cocked his head slightly in response, confused at its tone. At Tolithus' hesitance, it reached one of its furless paws inside his refuge, its flexible claws extended towards his side. Tolithus squashed himself against the far wall, hissing and spitting. The creature pulled back, rising into oblivion above the lip of the stone roof. Its strange colored feet backed away, giving way for two black paws. This new creature crouched down before the small cave, its white fur gleaming in the light that emanated from its paw. The white beast stared intently at Tolithus with its black-rimmed eyes, its crimson gaze sending shivers down the Pichu's spine.

"It's alright, little one,"

Tolithus jumped, his head turning madly in search of the voice. It echoed loudly in his mind, sounding as though it had been created right next to him. His eyes inevitably found the creature at the lip of his cave, though its mouth hadn't moved.

"We aren't here to harm you," The creature repeated, Tolithus realized, sending its words directly into his mind. His ears perked forward slightly at this, finding himself surprised that he could understand this creature.

"W-what do you want?" He replied, summoning all the intimidation he could muster.

The creature smiled slightly at Tolithus' attempt. "The beasts that attacked the Grove of Eternity have left. You're safe now."

"They're…gone?" Tolithus repeated, shifting his head sideways to catch a glimpse of the dark valley beyond. His view revealing nothing, the Pichu glanced back at the creature.

It stepped back, angling its paw outwards so the light of the sphere caught on the burnt foliage. The soft glow whispered across the landscape, its rectifying light gently brushing the stilled Grove beyond.

Tolithus reached forward, creeping out of the rock on his belly. His ears tickled the lip of the cave as he raised them to catch the slightest sound. He stepped out onto the crumbling grass, all thoughts of the two new strangers vanishing from his mind. The Pichu rose up to his back paws, his ears erected towards the heavens. The Grove of Eternity spoke of nothing, the wind carrying no scents upon its fingers. Tolithus stood there for several moments, utterly immobile. Confused, he fell back on all fours, crawling towards the edge of the light, his gaze focused on a strange shape just beyond the glow. He reached out with one paw, intending to touch whatever this thing was.

Tolithus yelped as his paws suddenly left the ground, soft pressure wrapping around his midsection. He twisted in this vice, intending to grip his teeth into his attacker. He stopped as his eyes met with the beast that held him. It had the same kind of face as the man from before, no fur but the long strangs that fell from the top of its head, and no maw to speak of. The little Pichu shrunk back, whimpering.

The beast cocked its head, speaking again in the strange tongue of the other. It glanced towards the white furred creature, who nodded, approaching Tolithus slowly. The Pichu swung his head around to face this new threat, tears starting to fall from his eyes. "D-don't…" He whispered, his eyes closing slowly as the beast lifted its paw towards him. He felt something brush his ears; felt something sliding along his body, like a tendril of thought.

"Hey, it's alright."

Tolithus peeked through his eyelids, finding the furless beast looking directly at him. The Pichu cowered.

"No, no, you're okay." The creature whispered, startling Tolithus and causing him to open his eyes to their full extent. It smiled, its face casting a stark resemblance to Eladriel, tugging at Tolithus' heart.

"What…?" He whispered. A small light, brighter than that of the globe, diverted his attention, causing him to glance to the side. Bluish laces of light wrapped around his body, a stronger concentration enveloping about his neck. The fingers of illumination continued as ropes until they ended at the pad of the white creature's paw. Confused, Tolithus turned back towards the furless beast for an answer.

"My friend, Kael, can allow you to understand us." The creature offered, one hand gesturing towards the white monster.

"What's a…Kael?" Tolithus dared ask, his courage rising slightly now that his understanding improved.

"That's my name," The white beast replied, moving slightly to as to be in the same line of vision as the furless one. "Not my species."

"S-species?" Tolithus cocked his head.

The furless beast nudged the white one. "Never mind him." It said, smiling. Bending down, the creature placed Tolithus onto the grass, running its fingers over his forehead, just as Eladriel had. It remained crouched, resting its hands on its knees. "My name is Emayla. I'm a human." The white creature lowered itself down as well. "This is Kael," Emayla continued, placing a hand on the other. "He's a Lucario."

Tolithus lifted one paw into the air, pointing towards them with his small finger. "Emayla. Human." He repeated. "Kael. Lucario." The two smiled in unison at his words. Tolithus glanced around the Grove, his ears perked up once again as he searched. "Where's Eladriel?"

Emayla frowned slightly. She glanced around to the dim forest beyond. "Eladriel…" A flicker of recognition passed over her face, her eyes glinting with the slightest hint of distress. The moment passed quickly, and she returned her visage to one of serenity. "She was your caregiver, right?"

Tolithus nodded, unaware of what had transpired. "She was supposed to come back and get me… After she found Sorbolis…"

"I'm sure she's alright."

Tolithus sat down lightly, picking at loose strands of grass and tossing them into the air. He watched as they blew away on the small breeze, becoming one with the darkness as they passed the safety of the orb's radiance. "What's gonna happen to me…?" He whispered, looking up at the faces of his two guardians. Small pockets of tears filled his eyes. "It's so dark here… I-I can't hear anything." Silver trails fell from his eyes. "I'm scared."

Emayla glanced at Kael, a silent message passing between them. "Would you like us to wait here with you?" She asked, one hand extended towards the Pichu.

Tolithus' face cracked into a small smile. He nodded, both his arms lifted up in the air, the river of tears slowing. Emayla gently scooped him up in her arms, softly scratching behind his ears as she did so. The Pichu buried his face into her elbow, her body heat already making him drowsy. "Thank you…" He whispered.

EC

Emayla seated herself at the edge of the small cave in which the Pichu had hid, leaning back against the pile. The small bundle of yellow fur rose slowly in the vestiges of slumber, a contented purr escaping his form every time he exhaled. She stroked his fur, her mind lost in thought.

Kael placed himself at her side, wrapping his tail around his paws. He severed his connection to the Pichu's aura, snapping the cords of luminosity in an instant, leaving the Grove at the mercy of his dim, original light. He rested the orb-bearing paw on his knee, palm upwards to allow the maximum amount of illumination into the Grove.

"What do we do now, Kael?" Emayla whispered, keeping her voice to a minimum to avoid waking the sleeping Pichu. She brushed back the fur on his head, smiling as the Pokemon turned his face towards her touch. "We can't just leave him here… Not with his dead clan. He's just a baby. Any predator left in the woods will have an easy time hunting him down." She paused to look up at the sparkling heavens. "If we take him with us, we'll be ripping him away from everything he's ever known."

"But what is left for him here?" Kael responded, glancing towards Emayla, his face angled downwards. "Taking aside the hunters of the forest, if we did leave him, he would be the last Pikachu in the entire forest. He'd be utterly alone."

Emayla sighed. "I know."

The night passed slowly, the wind picking up in a gradual manner, blowing away the remnants of the smoke far off into the distance. Emayla sighed, shaking her head, blinking several times to break away the ties of sleep. She glanced over to Kael, who had fallen asleep against the rock pile, his slumber deep and untroubled, the light orb of his design flickering near death. The Pokemon trainer rose slowly to her feet, careful to not disturb Pichu or Lucario. She rotated the Pichu to a sturdier position in her arms, using her free hand to reach behind her to her belt. Subtly she removed the Pokeball from its magnetic clip, clicking on the center mechanism. The red and white ball burst open, the swirling light within dancing forth, taking shape of the silvery Rapidash, Pyre. The fire bearing horse tossed her head in greeting, her senses detecting nothing of the worried variety. Pyre stood quite still as she waited, the fire from her mane dancing in her eyes.

At the sudden onrush of light, Kael startled awake, his aura sphere flaring to life. The white Lucario glanced around nervously, searching for an imagined attacker.

Emayla hurried over to his side, an apologetic look on her face, a single finger over her lips in a gesture of silence.

Kael gazed over his master's shoulder towards Pyre, understanding whispering in his eyes. He rose groggily to his paws, the shock of his awakening wearing off, leaving him back in the arms of sleep. "Exodus?" He whispered, his eyes half-closed.

Emayla shook her head. She gripped Kael's arm, quietly pulling him along after her, positioning her Pokemon at Pyre's side.

Kael flashed Emayla a smile of relief, unsteadily climbing onto the Rapidash's saddle, wrapping the reigns around his wrist incase a sudden fit of sleep crashed over his mind.

Making sure that the Pichu was still sleeping soundly, the Pokemon trainer took hold of Pyre's bridle, glancing over her shoulder towards the blasted Grove. The shattered husk of the Great Tree stood just within the reach of Pyre's glow, its dead branches swaying in the slight breeze. Ashes billowed from its depths, giving the tree a shining cloak in the night. Her eyes misted over for a moment as she watched. "What am I to do now?" She whispered. "For eight thousand years I have served you, Arceus. I have redeemed myself of my past. But now…Oh, by the heavens! What am I to do?" The wind picked up in the valley, sending a flurry of ashes spiraling into the skies, their dance reaching up into the arms of the stars, covering the moon with a flickering sigh.

The winds slowed, bringing the ash back to the earth gently, settling it down upon the bodies of the Houndoom, and covering their corpses in a blanket of glittering white.

Emayla bowed her head, turning slowly on the spot, and leading Pyre out towards the edge of the Grove. Unbeknownst to her, her Lucario glanced down towards his trainer, feigning sleep as a stone weighed down his heart.

EC

Agent Blackfire lifted his head slowly from his daze, his eyes narrowed as he attempted to focus them. His head throbbed unbearably every time he moved, causing the Rocket lieutenant to reel backwards, the world spinning before his eyes. Blinking several times in rapid succession, he quickly gained the world into focus. The light that trailed his face was blotched, sickly. It streamed in from between cold metal bars, bringing with it the realization that he had been caught. Blackfire leaned back against the hard stone walls, absorbing the sights and smells of his new surroundings. His eyes narrowed as he recognized the pre-dawn light that shimmered in through his prison cell window, indicating that he rested within the city of Viridian. He scrunched up his nose in distaste.

The distant clanking of keys off in the echoing hallways of the prison drew Blackfire's attention rapidly. He leaned forward slightly, his head slightly angled downwards, his arms spiraled out to his sides, feigning weakness. The reverberations grew louder, soon filling his cell with the annoying clatter. Blackfire glanced upwards as a policeman walked slowly past his cell, the officer glancing into his cage as he passed. Blackfire returned the glance with the lifting of his head, a wicked grin painted on his face. The man stuttered in his walk, taking a rather hasty double-take at the Team Rocket lieutenant. He hurried along, pulling out his radio from the recesses of his belt, talking into it rapidly as he vanished out of sight.

Blackfire scoffed at the officer's retreating back, returning his attention to his cell. The concrete walls were of the stable variety, their innards reinforced by heavy steel bars, their edges coated by solid metals. The small window that touched the precipice of the roof had not an inch of clearance, all its spare room choked by another set of steel bars. The floor held no yielding surfaces, covered entirely by the same material that supported the walls. The only exit short of exploding the entire cell was the steel bars that revealed the hallway beyond. But these, too, were reinforced with far stronger metals in their cores, with a bar every inch or so to keep even the smallest prisoner in.

Growling in agitation at this delay, Blackfire rammed his hands into his pockets, digging around for something that could assist him in his escape. His displeasure doubled as he found nothing to coax his fingers, leaving him absolutely defenseless in the small cell. Whoever had put him in this blasted bird cage knew what they were doing. They had removed everything from his possession, short of the clothing essentials, making sure he had no tricks up his sleeves.

Footsteps murmured from far down the reaches of the hallway, bringing Blackfire out of his revere. This time he kept his head elevated, his suspicions confirmed as the officer stopped in front of his cell. "Well, well, well." Blackfire snorted, rolling his head backwards. "It seems the high and mighty Officer Jenny has decided to come and pay me a visit in my lowly prison cell." His face cracked once again into a sinister grin. "To what do I owe this fine honor?"

"Keep your foul breath back, Blackfire." Officer Jenny retorted, folding her arms tight across her chest. She lifted one hand up to her hat, pulling it down lower over her eyes. "Your leaders might have tried to smooth everything over with the local government, but we're not swayed by bribes and threats." Her loyal Growlithe came to a rest at her feet, his eyes never leaving the shadowed face of the Team Rocket lieutenant, his teeth barred into a snarl.

"Really?" Blackfire asked, his voice dripping in mock sarcasm. "How's that working out for you?"

Jenny frowned in annoyance. "Listen, slime bag, you're here under the jurisdiction that you were the one who decimated Viridian forest, and all the wildlife thereof. We have the evidence we need to keep you locked up in this cell for the rest of your miserable life." Blackfire scoffed at his, sneering at the law-enforcement officer. "But," Jenny raised a finger into the air, her tone lightening slightly. "If you're willing to divulge certain confidential information with us, the jury might be willing to cut your sentence in half."

"You're really that desperate for information?" Blackfire retorted, laughing. "You're willing to let me go just for a bundle of words? You-"

"Not just any 'words', Blackfire." Jenny interrupted. "The location of your informant, the identity of your employer, the supplier of your Pokemon, just to name a few things," she stated, counting off the selections with her fingers.

Blackfire leaned his head against the wall, pointing his face towards the depreciative roof in disinterest. He rested his arms on his knees. "I'm afraid I'm not in a 'divulging' mood."

Jenny glowered at him. "Fine then, rot away in here, you Rocket maggot. Your sentence will be announced tomorrow." The police officer stalked away, her snarling Growlithe trailing behind, his furious eyes disappearing behind the stone wall as he walked away.

Blackfire snorted in apathy, closing his eyes.

The morning waned into late afternoon, the light from the window bleeding into Blackfire's cell, waking the Team Rocket agent from his nap. He shook his head in annoyance, uncurling from his sleeping position slowly, his head still throbbing.

"It's about time you woke up."

Blackfire's eyes flew open in recognition of the voice, elation rising in his veins.

Outside his cell stood an officer, twirling his keys around his fingers in impatience. The man removed a coating of blue fabric from the shoulder of his uniform, revealing a red R, lanced with knives of varying shapes and sizes, underneath.

"Agent Dagger?" Blackfire growled, rising from his seat.

Dagger's face furrowed into a deep frown. He gripped the keys in his fist as they came full circle, a single key caught between his fingers. The Rocket agent thrust it into the lock, turning it quickly, and opening the door in the same swish of motion. "Take this hallway all the way down to the southern entrance," He murmured, opening the door wide for Blackfire, his deep voice reverberating off the stone walls. "There's a ride out there to take you to the Inner Sanctum."

Blackfire slipped along the bars, his eyes widening as he heard Dagger's statement. "The Inner Sanctum? I was under the impression that I had failed them."

Dagger flicked his hand into the air rapidly, rolling his eyes. "That matter has been resolved by the Masters." Blackfire raised an eyebrow at this, but did not question further. At the other agent's hesitance, Dagger sneered. "Either you start walking, or I'll have the agents parked out back pull away before they're noticed. We can't risk detection, not this close to the Source."

Blackfire nodded. He stalked down the hallway, his stance defensive, looking for any signs of life.

"Oh, and Blackfire," Dagger called from behind. "Give my regards to Solstice, will you?"


	4. Penance

Chapter four

Penance

The high archways of the building coated the upper skies in their majesty, calling fourth an era long since lost to the depths of man. Their wide steeples braced up the mighty weight of the roof with grace, dancing with practiced serenity. Decorations of sculpted runes branched along the necks of the spires, their words dead in the secrets of time. Ancient tapestries fell softly down from their arms, their depictions displaying the same three faded figures over and over again: a tyrannical Arcanine, a cunning Houndoom, and a magnificent Ninetales. These three Pokemon of earliest legend twirled about each other in an intricate dance, their red eyes always facing the unknown audience. The draperies opened their grips against the light of the stained-glass windows beyond, allowing the multifaceted light into the gargantuan room. The ever-changing lights hopped across the stone floors, every moment of every day portraying a different scene.

But all the majesties of the castle's throne room did not penetrate the deepest recess of the sanctuary, leaving the great chair of the dead kings in the darkest of shadows.

He laid a single arm across the arm of the throne, his back bared to the expanse of his castle. He caressed the stone wall with his free hand, running his fingers through the imperfections of time. "I have worked towards our freedom for more than a millennia," he whispered, his red eyes following his hand. "I have fought forces greater than this world has ever known time an time again…" The stillness in the air reverberated in a tangible chord, striking the audience to the ruler's rising anger with renewed vigor. "I have sought for every avenue to ensure our release, and you _dare_ threaten my progress with that show of power?" He swerved on his heel, his red eyes boring into the mask of the man at the foot of his throne.

The man bowed his head in humility, his own red eyes narrowing in anger underneath the slender protection of his plumed hat. "Tirus, with all due respect," the second murmured, rising up from his somewhat respectful position with obvious distaste. "You don't seem to understand the bountiful wealth that has fallen upon us, despite our current forms. We have obtained a level of luxuries that we could never have known eight thousand years ago!"

"It is all a falsehood of promised lies!" Tirus retorted, wrapping around the front of his magnificent golden throne to seat himself on the plush surface of its face. "Kyron, you alone know the glories of our past endeavors among all those whom we call under our control. You know that these humans are fickle in their desires. All our earned glories could easily be swept away with the current of their minds, and all we have achieved will simply fade as these tapestries must." Tirus casually flicked his hand towards the magnificent works of art that dotted his castle as they were no more than a passing fancy. The tyrannical leader lowered his shoulders down, placing his elbows on the brink of his knees, and resting his chin upon his folded fingers. "This curse is a wretched anomaly, forcing us to use other, weaker Pokemon in place of ourselves!"

"Perhaps we shouldn't envision this as an imprisonment," Kyron hinted, slinking up to the left side of Tirus' throne, crouching down below the verge of the golden rest, his blood-red eyes barely breaching the lip thereof. The sly second-in-command placed one hand tensely on the brink of the golden surface. "We could easily use this…this gift that Arceus has granted us against him."

Tirus raised a single eyebrow, his shoulders loosing their tense stance. "How?"

Kyron slipped around to the darkness behind the throne, his hand keeping in contact with the smooth surface as he traveled, coming to a rest at Tirus' right. "Let us continue spreading the inflection among the weakest. Not even the might of Arceus was able to keep our full powers at bay. We could easily continue enslaving more and more humans," Kyron spat out the final word, his face contorting easily into a facade of rage. "While we finish our preparations for out ascent."

Tirus lowered his forehead into the webbing of his fingers, a smile playing upon his lips. Kyron moved forward slightly, his muscles tensing, thinking he had won the favor of his ally. Tirus began laughing, imperceptible at first, but as the seconds wore by, the sounds of his voice soon filled the echoing chamber. "Not even after eight millennia does this game get old, my friend." Kyron fell back, a scowl forming on his face. "You speak of returning, yet after your simple actions of late you have verily determined your path." Tirus lifted his head slightly, his eyes boring into Kyron. "You knew of the Carrier in Viridian forest. You knew of his importance." Tirus placed his hands firmly on the arms of his shining throne, shoving Kyron away. "You sent that agent with confidence of smoldering any hopes we could have of our return, keeping hold to the belief that his reputation would keep the operation a secret. But you erred." Kyron slunk farther back in the darkness, keeping his eyes trained down to the stone floor. Tirus swept a hand again into the air, dismissing the thought with a grin. "Spies within every possible network, my friend, is how one must survive as a pitiful human. My agents in the Viridian wood have procured the location of the Carrier, for the time being. You were being intercepted long before the thought of deception had even entered your conniving mind."

Kyron's head tilted slightly to the side, a knowing smile unwittingly finding its way onto his face. "Ah. Your scouts in the Blood Corps." He whispered. Kyron bowed, swooping his plumed hat off his head in a single gesture of respect. "Well done, my friend. Again you show your superior will."

The two long standing allies locked their bloody gazes, wicked grins trailing up their faces, and exchanged knowing laughter.

"And what of the wrench that was sent out to do your dirty work, my sly friend?" Tirus asked as the din of their mirth died down, leaving the throne room in its tangible silence.

"He should be reporting in soon." Kyron replied, placing one hand firmly at the pouch belted to his black belt. "No doubt without any word of the Carrier, if the measures you had taken were successful."

"It's a shame." Tirus said in mock nostalgia, shaking his head. "I had grown rather fond of his work."

Again the throne room rang out with the cold laughter of the two merciless men, their voices ringing with the pain that was soon to visit the eyes of Blackfire. The echoes slipped in and out into the very fabrics of the tapestries, sending the Arcanine and Houndoom into a flurry of movements, dancing about the stilled form of the Ninetales.

EC

Blackfire glanced about himself with a hint of nervousness touching his eyes. The hulking form of the Master's castle cast his own insignificant figure into a deep shadow, its towering precipice looming over with knowing superiority. Every few feet on the very verge of the citadel's crown prowled a minion of the Inner Sanctum, their dark eyes boring into the Team Rocket lieutenant. His escort of Arcanine let out a collective growl at his hesitance, forcing Blackfire towards the mouth of the stone beast in a hurried, faltering gait. Risking a slight glance towards his previous location, Blackfire saw the retreating back of his transport vehicle, the image of agent Dagger splashed across its windows. His gaze tightened in anger.

The doors of the castle swung open on their own accord, the melodic voice of the accursed Solstice ringing out from every crevice of the stone prison. A number of privileged Rocked grunts weaved around the belly of the antechamber, going about their daily business without even a passing glance directed Blackfire's way. They had seen this scene depicted time and time again, and they knew full well the consequences of coming to the Inner Sanctum under close personal guard.

Blackfire knew the implications all too well, having exploited them for his own personal gains in the ranks of Team Rocket. Within the underbelly of the assassin's corps, there were only a few higher ranking positions. If one did not perform to the exact liking of the Masters, they would be brought before Solstice, the arm of punishment in Rocket law. If their evaluation did not pass by the eyes of Solstice with the highest of marks, the failure would be marked for immediate processing by their successor. Blackfire could remember the day he had been ranked a lieutenant, the hot blood of his victim still wafting up the scents of his memories. He grinned inwardly at the recollection of the former lieutenants visage before he died, savoring every pain that lanced up his face.

Now it was his turn.

The Arcanine roughly shoved him down the very center of the hall, along a red carpet that was void of the wiser Rocket grunts. They proceeded slowly, savoring the rising bile that coated Blackfire's throat. Only as they neared the farthest door that marked the lair of Solstice did the swarming Rocket grunts look up, their faces masks of mock surprise and worry. But everywhere did the same smirk of knowledge spring up.

As with the front doors to the Inner Sanctum, these portals to the torturous domain of Solstice swung open on their own accord, opening inwards to the dark chamber with not a squeak of protest. Blackfire walked forward on his own power towards his doom, leaving the burning cult of Arcanine behind. He couldn't stop his feet from dragging onwards, though he begged them to stop.

For the first time in twenty years, Blackfire was afraid.

The doors closed behind him slowly, choking the delivering light down to the point of non-existence. Blackfire squinted slightly as his sight diminished, his normally adept hazel eyes catching nothing. The slight breeze that eased its way through the cracks of ancient castle suddenly froze, their fingers becoming tendrils of stilled ice, coating the face of the Rocket lieutenant in a blanket of fear.

"Blackfire." The voice mirrored the icy air, caressing the lieutenant in its mocking embrace. It resonated not from a single point, seeming to come out of the very fabric of the castle itself, echoing in Blackfire's head with an ominous tune.

A sudden movement behind him caused Blackfire to swerve around on his heel, though he caught sight of nothing in the gloom. The displacement of air continued rapidly, rushing forward with a lurching gait towards the Rocket lieutenant. It swept under him, lifting him roughly from the floor into its grip. The chair subtly wrapped chains around his startled arms, preventing any thoughts of escape.

"Blackfire," Solstice continued, drawing the full attention of the frightened man. "You have erred in the sight of our great Masters. You went against their direct orders."

Blackfire tried desperately to open his mouth; to scream at the accursed voice of Solstice his act of penance, but no noise could leave his lips.

"The Masters have placed their faith in you, and you deliver their trust with a sign of the utmost contempt. Your actions bring forth the premise of processing." The voice paused for a moment, letting its melodic tones ring about the black chamber. "What do you have to say in your defense?"

Suddenly Blackfire could find his voice. It ripped from his jaw with unpracticed horror before he could catch himself, sending the currents of icy air into a flurry of surprise. It took a moment for his voice to silence itself, allowing the lieutenant to catch his words. "T-the plan could not proceed!" He argued, his voice still ringing with horror. "I was intercepted in my work by a Pokemon trainer!" Solstice didn't offer its complementary scoff, telling Blackfire that he had captured its attention.

"Their name?"

Blackfire paused for a moment, his cautionary success giving him slight worries. He closed his eyes for a moment in remembrance, returning back to that fateful day three years ago in the village of Lavender. "Emayla," he growled. "The trainer with the white Lucario."

Again Solstice was abnormally quiet, the chill in the air increasing its frequency of heat as Blackfire warmed it with his trembling form. The minutes ticked by slowly. "The Masters will see you, Blackfire." Solstice whispered into the din.

Doors at the far end of the darkened room opened quietly inwards, allowing an influx of light to burst into Solstice's domain. Blackfire found himself rising slowly, his posture slightly bent in a respectful bow. Before his eyes even had time to adjust to the assault of brilliance from the throne room ahead, a dark voice reverberated from the end of the hall.

"Come forward, Blackfire."

EC

Emayla woke slowly, blinking several times at the dim morning light that bled into her eyes. She twisted around, burying her face further into the soft pillow. Recognition slapped her hard across her face, startling the Pokemon trainer, and causing her to wake with a jerk. Her red eyes focused instantly, bringing in the clarity of the stark white walls of the room. The bed she lay in was comfortably soft and warm, inviting her to slip back into the deep calm of sleep. Emayla panicked slightly as she wracked her memories for any reminiscence of what had brought her to this room, but her recollections revealed nothing.

A shuffling issued from the opposite side of the room, subtly drawing Emayla's attention. She slowly shifted her weight around, her rotations hardly causing a disturbance in the blankets. Her eyes breached her shoulder before her movements had ceased, allowing her red-tinted gaze to dig out the source of the noise.

Kael sat upon the chair placed at the side of her white bed, his head leaned back against the wall, his chest rising slowly in the whisperings of slumber. His posture was one of serenity, calming Emayla almost instantly. She eased back into the softness of the bed, easily piecing together what had transpired, her gaze roving over the nondescript white roof. She must have fallen into the arms of sleep on her journey back to Viridian city, and dear Kael brought her the rest of the way. From the angle of the mid-morning sun, Emayla discerned that she now rested in the higher reaches of the local Pokemon center. Another suspicion tugged at her mind, causing Emayla to raise her head slightly from its indent in the pillow. She smiled as her fears were released at the sight of the Pichu asleep in a pile of pillows at the foot of the bed, his small ears the only visible part of his body.

Emayla shifted her arms back in the bed, lifting herself up upon her elbows. The warmth from the dawn tickled her face. The Pokemon trainer closed her eyes for a moment, allowing the sun to warm her features, the soft sounds of her sleeping companions the only noise that dared enter her consciousness.

She stayed in that comfortable position for over an hour, simply allowing herself to be overtaken by the pure calmness of the day. Her eyes slowly opened as the sun peaked just over the lip of her window. Shifting her legs under the blankets, Emayla shuffled out of the warm bed without disturbing the sleeping Pichu, her feet pausing for a moment on the plush carpet. Sighing slightly, she rose slowly from the mattress, her fingers trailing against the sheets. With a half-glance towards her slumbering partner, Emayla scooped up her backpack from its usual side at the head of the bed, and slipped into the bathroom for a much needed shower.

EC

Kael shook his head slightly as he woke, his maw opening wide in a torrential yawn. The hissing of water not far in the distance drew his attention slightly, but he smiled and placed it out of his thoughts. The white Lucario rose to his paws, pulling out his arms to release the built up tension he had created upon sleeping. His tail remained on the chair as he paused, glancing over to the bed where his master had slept. Smiling slightly to himself, Kael set about the task of smoothing down the blankets, careful not to wake the sleeping Pichu. As his paws worked, his mind roved over the events that had unfolded. Tirus never sought to save the life of any beast, regardless of its relation to him. He was a passionate killer, enjoying acting as the deliverance of death. So why did he seek a single Pokemon? And in the Grove of Eternity of all places.

The Lucario glanced over to the closed door that led to the steam-filled bathroom, his eyes narrowing slightly. He had been guarding over Emayla since the day Arceus intervened, knowing full well of her former comrades' power. If Tirus and Kyron sought for anything, all of the underworld would unleash its might in their wake.

Kael's gaze was inevitably drawn towards the sleeping Pichu, the sole survivor of Blackfire's purge. He could feel an unearthly power wafting off the smaller Pokemon like a veil of smoke. It was subtle, but there was no question it came from the Pichu. His paw instinctively lifted into the air, chords of aura slipping from his body. The strands snaked towards the Pichu, their lightened depths curling around the sleeping Pokemon. As each lace tightened subtly around the Pichu, Kael flicked his wrist, causing the heads of each of the lights to bury themselves into the yellow Pokemon's body. His own aura sifted through that of the Pichu, searching for any anomalies, lightly brushing aside the untainted pools of energy as he searched. A harsher flux of energy suddenly manifested itself, its iron hard will pushing against Kael's influence. The white hot force of this intrusion rammed itself against the Lucario's aura, sending both the cords and Pokemon flying backwards in response. Kael slammed hard against the opposite wall, stars flickering in front of his eyes, his head spinning.

The whispers of the water suddenly stopped, and Emayla's voice echoed out of the room. "Kael? Is that you?"

Kael staggered down to the soft caress of the carpet, one paw clutching his aching head. "Yes," He called back, shaking himself to shrug off the pain. "Don't worry, m'lady. I fell off my chair, is all."

A pause issued from the bathroom, as though Emayla was not convinced. But the hissing of the shower water started again quickly enough, allowing Kael to collect his thoughts.

The white Lucario rose unsteadily, gazing in incredulity at the still slumbering Pichu. A sudden sting of pain trailed along his arm. Kael lifted his paw, gazing at the singed pad. A brand, burnt onto his skin, flared angrily into life as he watched, its blaze sending another tremor of pain into his body. The white Lucario snarled, sending fourth a concentration of his aura into his paw. The brand sputtered in surprise, flickering for a moment, before it sent back a wave of power of its own. Refusing to back down, Kael once again sent his might towards the blazing brand, his teeth bared in concentration. Slowly but surely, his willpower subdued the pain, allowing his aura to banish the foreign substance from his body, causing the brand to sputter and die.

Kael gripped his aching wrist with his free paw, gasping at the sheer power contained, unknowingly, in the small Pichu. If anything should release that might at its full potential… The white Lucario shuddered, immediately understanding the value of the Pichu in the hands of Tirus.

EC

"So she lives…" Tirus whispered, his thoughts still dancing over the information Blackfire had so satisfyingly indulged. His red eyes flashed as they were drawn back to the whimpering Rocket lieutenant, the blood that dared seep onto his carpets reflecting back into his eyes. "It was told that you had killed her three years ago, Blackfire." Tirus scoffed, his face unreadable.

Blackfire, his mind foggy from the agony that pricked his body, gasped several words in quick succession, their meanings indiscernible.

Kyron, a wicked grin sketched across his face at his most enjoyable game, ripped another knife from his seemingly endless supply, and stabbed it into Blackfire's exposed shoulder.

The Team Rocket lieutenant lurched forward, blood spattering down his side in renewed vigor, his face contorted in absolute anguish. "I-I was told…" He wheezed, coughing up blood from the depths of his punctured lungs. "That she… had been eradicated."

Tirus laughed, the cold chill of his voice burning into Blackfire's soul. "My dearest Amarri–"

"Emayla." Kyron corrected, disguising his words as a rather hacking cough.

Tirus smirked. "Of course. Emayla." His fingers once again intertwined with one another, allowing a webbed pedestal for his chin, which he readily accepted. "My Emayla would never be that easily defeated. Ever was she known for her craftiness at my side during our greatest rule." He paused, sinking back into his deepest memories. "And you believe she has retrieved the Carrier?" Tirus asked, a plan already formulation in his mind.

Blackfire nodded in spite of his pain, his eyes begging for a release.

Tirus chuckled easily, leaning back into his ornate throne with grace. He and Kyron exchanged knowing glances, information passing between their crimson gazes in an instant.

Kyron lifted his head towards the limitless expanse of the castle's roof. "Solstice!" He cried, his arms spread out on either side of him, the blood-coated daggers of torment loosely fitted into his fingers. A premature chill entered the room, announcing the arrival of the unseen force.

"Yes?" Solstice whispered, the voice echoing off every possible angle.

"I'm afraid that our friend, Blackfire," Kyron glanced down towards the cowering man, his eyes sparkling with malice. "Has run his course. Please take him to the holding chamber in light of his processing."

"Of course." Solstice replied. The chill grew with intensity, gathering at the focal point around the sagging body of the Team Rocket lieutenant. A sudden gust of wind erupted into the room, sending the tapestries into a flurry of movement. Blackfire's body became less and less substantial, fading into the background with the blink of an eye. Within a few passing moments, he disappeared completely, leaving behind a rather flooded pool of blood.

Kyron lifted one of the daggers up to his nose, sniffing slightly at the fine blood coating on his delicate weapons. His nose scrunched up in distaste. "Pathetic creatures." He spat.

Tirus nodded his head in agreement. "Patience, my friend."

EC

Emayla pulled her jacket across her shoulder blades, sighing in satisfaction as she pulled her fingers through her wet hair. The mirror, still fogged over from the perspiration of her shower, revealed only a blurred image of her. Emayla ran her fingers over the cold skin of the glass, leaving behind a clear streak amidst the fog. Her blood red eyes stared back at her, their thirsty depths showing her history. Her dew-laden fingers brushed her eyelids, tempering her crimson gaze. "How long has it been?" She whispered, her voice dampened by the moisture bloated air. "How long has it been since I have tasted fire? Eight millennia? With every passing year I lose less and less of my memories… I'm forgetting who I am." Emayla fell forward, clutching the edge of the sink with both hands in a desperate attempt to steady herself. "I used to be Amarri. I used to be a Ninetales, powerful and benign. The world bowed before me." She lifted her gaze to the empty streak upon the mirror, staring hard at her bloody eyes. "Back then…" She shuddered. "I was hailed as a deity. But now…" Her eyes narrowed darkly. "Look at me! Encased in this shell of a body!" Her voice rose to a raging pitch, the reverberations echoing far across the border of the door.

A soft knock broke into her thoughts with a shattering crash, startling the Pokemon trainer. "Lady Emayla?" Kael asked through the door, his voice lowered in concern. "Are you alright?"

Emayla took a few steadying gasps, inwardly cursing at herself for her moment of weakness. "Yeah. I'm fine." She replied, running her fingers again through her wet hair. The Pokemon trainer gripped the nearby handle of the door, turning it slightly. She met a slight resistance at her pull, indicating Kael's presence on the other side. The pressure lifted immediately, however, at her touch, allowing Emayla to easily pry the door open.

Kael watched her exit with calculating eyes, his stance defensive. "The day wanes," He stated, rising slightly from his tensed position. "The rest of your Pokemon are downstairs with the medical personnel. Its time we should retrieve them."

Emayla nodded, eyeing her partner's actions with more than a passing interest. He kept his right paw slightly behind his back, angling his body to keep it out of sight, his eyes holding a trace of pain. "Kael? What happened?"

The white Lucario tensed slightly as his master neared, his eyes never once leaving her face. Emayla gingerly lifted his paw in her hand, bringing it nigh to eye level. Upon immediate inspection, she noticed the subdued brand. Small tendrils of almost non-existent light wrapped around the brand in a protective barrier, acting as a shield. Emayla lifted her free hand and softly ran it across Kael's paw, causing the Lucario to jerk his arm away swiftly.

"What happened?" Emayla repeated, her tone carrying with it the slightest hint of force.

Kael's eyes narrowed slightly. He took a tentative step backwards in defense, but Emayla matched his pace, even taking it a motion further, her form at an impossibly close distance. Her blood-red eyes bore into his, carrying with it only waves of concern.

Kael took in a sharp intake of air as her breath fanned his face. "The Pichu," he admitted. "He's got some kind of perversion in his aura. When I tried to remove it, I was attacked."

"And the force harbored inside that small Pokemon did this?"

Kael nodded, backing up a step, trying to put some distance between his master and himself, his head still throbbing. "It's a power unlike anything I've ever felt." He continued, glancing towards the sleeping Pichu. "I have no doubts that the energy in that Pokemon is what Tirus is after."

The Pokemon trainer's gaze followed Kael's lead. "He has found it." Emayla whispered, her pulse quickening. "He has found the instrument in our release…"


	5. Penitentiary

Chapter five

Penitentiary

Viridian city sat in a silent interlude, its skies void of any clouds, its winds gentle and soothing. The warming sun coated all in a deep hue of yellow, its soothing fingers brushing the verges of the landscape. Pidgey cooed in the hidden niches in which they crafted their nests, occasionally chirping an alarm to those nearby as a Rattata came skittering past. Plusle and Minun scampered about the alleyways between the arms of the buildings, their electricity trails flickering the lights in the vicinity. Tailow fluttered from their daily hovels, taking to the skies in great flocks of shining blue. A single Clefairy poked its head out from the cover of its home, relishing the cool breeze upon its warm fur, its face trained into a contented smile.

Emayla roughly pulled on the edges of her fur-lined jacket, further covering her arms into their warming depths. She leaned forward into the chair previously occupied by Kael, looking out the window into the serene land beyond, her thoughts whirling. Tirus had managed to create a cure for their malady. He had the escape Emayla had been searching eight thousand years for. She could finally be free of this miserable existence; free of the service of Arceus. Her breath quickened in spite of herself, causing the Pokemon trainer to clutch her head in utter jubilation.

Kael appeared from the depths of the room, slowly padding across the chamber to his master's side. He, too, found himself staring out at the landscape beyond, though his thoughts were of a marginally different chord. His era of servitude would come to an end at Emayla's release also, but at a greater cost than his master could foresee.

Slight rufflings murmured from the soft cover of the single bed, heralding the awakening of the Pichu, drawing the attention of the two at the window. The small yellow Pokemon lifted his head slowly from its resting place inside the cover of the pillows, blinking several times in the noon light. His immediate non-response brought a sliver of worry to Emayla's eyes, causing her to rise from her perch and move to the Pichu's side.

The Pichu looked up at her with smiling eyes, sleep still holding a fog over his face. "Chu chu pi." He said tiredly, rubbing his small paws repeatedly over his eyes to try and wipe away the remnants of his dreams.

Emayla glanced over to Kael, a single eyebrow trailing up her forehead. The white Lucario responded with a chuckle, bowing his head slightly in exasperation. "He says 'good morning', m'lady."

The Pokemon trainer paused for a moment, waiting for Kael to take his customary place by her side. Her Pokemon remained at his spot by the window, his eyes lightly trained on the Pichu, indicating that he'd not connect his aura with the threat of another attack so fresh in his mind. She sighed. "Could you ask him his name?"

Kael nodded, relaying the stated information quickly to the blissful Pokemon. "Toe…us?" Kael repeated back to Emayla, cocking his head slightly.

"Thomas?" Emayla replied, attempting to piece together the syllables presented by her partner.

The white Lucario shrugged. Again, he conveyed the word to the Pichu, who nodded faintly in response, his head tipped ever so slightly. "Chu pichu."

Kael smiled. "Close enough." He translated.

EC

The afternoon waned slowly, the brilliant sun tipping over the roof of the Pokemon center, casting the innards of the building into slight shadows. The luminescent light flickered in the plastered white roof, its prime years of servitude long since past. The newly dubbed Thomas sat lightly on the pane of the window, his ears perked up to their fullest extent as he strained to catch the slightest sounds from the world outside. His L-shaped black tail twitched every time a Pidgey fluttered past his window, his maw spreading deeper and deeper into a smile with every passing. The small mouse Pokemon paused for a moment in his viewings to glance over his shoulder at Kael, aiming a cheerful glance his way. The white Lucario sat on the bed behind him, his paws folded firmly across his chest, his red eyes causally watching over the smaller Pichu. He kept his right shoulder angled back towards the further door as he sat, still untrusting of the power inside the tiny Pokemon.

"It's really pretty." Thomas commented, his head slightly shifting towards the shimmering land outside. "I've never seen anything outside the forest before." His eyes misted over slightly at the mention of his former home, the devastation playing over his orbs in a macabre tune.

Kael offered no words of comfort, knowing that his councils would only draw retributions from the Pichu. He remained in place, his gaze never shifting from its soft glance, slightly wishing that Emayla would finish her errands in the city below.

Thomas turned back towards the clear glass, resting his two little paws on the slick surface, his nose only centimeters away from the cold expanse. "I miss them." He whispered, his eyes beginning to moisten. "Eladriel, Sorbolis, Reighgar…" Thomas' words slowly faded as he spoke, becoming an indiscernible stream of sobs. His shoulders began to shudder as he cried in earnest, tears pooling into the plastic interior of the window at his feet.

Kael sighed to himself, rising gradually from his perch, unclenching his tense muscles with practiced grace. The white Lucario padded slowly to Thomas, placing one paw lightly on the yellow Pokemon's shoulder, his voice remaining mute.

At this slightest of touch, Thomas swerved around, wrapping his little paws in Kael's fur, sobbing into the warmth of the older Pokemon's body. Kael, startled at first by the sudden reaction by the Pichu, froze as he felt the tears staining his fur, unsure of what he could do. Slowly, the white Lucario eased, his eyes softening in pure empathy for Thomas. He knelt down, lowering himself enough so his shoulders remained level with the Pichu.

Thomas pulled back slightly as he felt the Lucario move, his face soaked with tears. His lonely eyes reflected in Kael's, sending a slight tremor through the older Pokemon's form. The powers this small Pokemon had at his command…

Kael held no resistance as Thomas once again buried his small face into his shoulder, accepting the tears with returned sympathy. He had nothing to offer to console the Pichu, allowing Thomas to spill his emotions without interference. The white Lucario's eyes trailed out to the world beyond as he patiently waited, eyeing for any sign of his master. The alleyways and roads of the far floors of Viridian revealed nothing to his searching eyes, worrying Kael slightly. He knew that Emayla would return, but a lifetime serving as her guard came with its repercussions, causing the Lucario to always worry at her disappearances. He sighed to himself once again, raising his paw to pat the still crying Thomas gently on his back.

EC

Emayla strolled down the well kept streets of Viridian city easily, her pace matching those of the casual passerby. The towering spires of buildings wrapped around her on all sides, their glassed sides glittering in the sunlight, bathing the world below in a splash of color. An occasional flicker would pass over the glowing surface of the sky's mirrors, revealing the motion within the buildings with a quick burst. The doors of the various shops chimed in different tunes as they were moved, sending an unintended chorus into the air. The occasional fenced tree broke into the stone forest, its untamed majesty reaching towards the heavens, its many fingers the resting place for all Pokemon. The scents of the hardened metals that built the foundation of the city were drowned out by pleasant odors that wafted from the varying food shops, their tantalizing aromas calling to the populace to taste their wondrous depths.

Emayla reached a single hand casually down towards her belt, her confidence rising a step as she felt the familiar weight of the Pokeballs that harbored her loyal team, save for Kael, who waited at the Pokemon center with Thomas. A slight pang pulled a cord in her heart as she once again tasted the regrets for leaving her trusted companion behind, but she knew that the white Lucario would keep Thomas safe.

A small market at the end of the curb tugged at her attention, causing the Pokemon trainer to divert her course, entering the warm shop with open eyes. Piles upon piles of goods layered each other in colorful patterns, their prices labeled on rather bright price tags that seemed to hover above their stacks. Emayla sauntered over to a basket filled with nigh luminescent apples, their shining red surfaces at the peak of perfection. She picked one up gingerly, inhaling its sweet scent, inwardly smiling at the pleasure she knew she'd see upon delivering it to Thomas.

The Pokemon trainer went about her business quickly, collecting supplies for the long road ahead, her mind sealed off from outside influences. As she neared the counter to purchase her selections, a single conversation perked at her attention.

"But there have been no other reports?" A man was saying to his companion, his back facing Emayla. He wore the simple garb of choice for the market, but something about his posture sent chills up the Pokemon trainer's spine. He carried himself with the utmost confidence, his fingers always a hairs-breadth away from his Pokeballs. His blue eyes darted about the market, looking for any eavesdroppers, his scan passing by Emayla.

"No." The second replied, his appearance equally normal and threatening. "Nothing has come out of the forest. He might have finished them all off."

"Can that really be?" The first scoffed. "I've heard that those in the forest were of the highest proficiency. Perhaps they're shirking their duties."

The second laughed quietly. "With a mission as important as theirs? They wouldn't dare let that Pichu Carrier–"

"Hush!" Interrupted the first, his eyes darting madly about the market, coming to a rest at Emayla's stilled form. They continued with their conversation quietly, a slight amount of words making their way into Emayla's consciousness. "Located… center… retrieval in…" That was all she needed to hear.

Quickly paying the clerk the proper amount, Emayla hurried out of the small market, her course a direct line back to the Pokemon center. She brushed by the citizens of the city with haste, ignoring the grunts of protests as she shoved past the occasional slow mover with unnecessary vigor. Her heart pounded loudly in her ears as she moved, fear rising like a tide.

The looming form of the Pokemon center blotted out the brilliant sun, its shadow further casting Emayla into the recesses of worry. Hundreds of trainers milled in and out of the sliding doors, their Pokemon adding loudly to the overall din. With the cover that Team Rocket installed, it was impossible to tell if any were hostile.

Emayla roughly pushed her way into the main hall of the Pokemon center, immediately diverting her course for the stairway that led to the second floor and her room. Dozens of humans huffed at her passing, unwillingly parting the center of the stairwell to make way for the hurrying trainer. With each step her speed increased, her rush forcing her to fly past any obstacles. The landing to the second floor opened its great maw, the large expanse a straight shot to the far chamber. Emayla pulled herself up the final few steps with haunting force, causing the carpet to groan in protest and rip savagely at the seams. Doors on either side of the hall flashed by as she ran, their dull surfaces blending into a single entity at the force of her run.

A single door opened wide at the end of the hallway; the door that led to Emayla's room. Light pooled into the darker hallway from the chamber, a single silhouette blotting its radiance. A sudden burst of desperation took hold of her, causing the Pokemon trainer to barrel to the side, slamming herself, hard, into the being that took up residence in the doorway.

Kael let out a startled gasp as his master pounded into him, sending them both in the undeniable path of gravity. The white Lucario deftly twisted in mid-air, carefully keeping Emayla away from the deadly spike that protruded from his chest as they fell. Their collective weight landed heavily on the carpet, sending tremors through the floor, causing the complementary vase on the far desk to swerve precariously.

Emayla lay there for a moment, winded, as her Pokemon rose with a slight chuckle. Kael shook his head. "What's the rush for, m'lady?"

Emayla coughed slightly, catching her breath from her frantic pace. The trainer picked herself up from the ground rather unceremoniously, her blood-red eyes catching those of her Pokemon. A silent message passed between them in an instant, causing the Lucario to tense in sudden alarm. "Our position is in jeopardy. Team Rocket knows we're here."

Thomas hopped down from his place in the window, his small Pichu ears cocked in worry, his eyes sparkling with curiosity. "Pichu pi?" He asked.

"Tell Thomas it's time to go," Emayla instructed Kael, roughly shoving her new purchases into her large backpack, eager to be out the door.

The Lucario relayed the given information, causing Thomas to cock his head further to the side. "Pi pichu chu pi?"

Kael knelt down, gently scooping the Pichu into the air, placing him onto his sturdy shoulder, a smile edging on his maw. He murmured to the smaller Pokemon quietly, deftly keeping out of Emayla's way as she hurried about the room, searching for more supplies.

The Pokemon trainer opened the drawer at the arms of the bed, causing a small, leather bound book to bounce harshly against the wooden frame as she did so. With trembling hands, Emayla lifted the book to eye level, reading the ancient scripts underlying the new-age texts. "The Arcemund." She whispered, cracking open the stiff pages to the front cover, inhaling deeply the scent of the old paper.

The subtle echoes from the farthest reaches of the city suddenly escalated in volume, causing all inhabitants of the chamber to freeze. Shouts reverberated menacingly in the confined spaces of their room, carrying with it the tangible scent of dread.

"Time's up." Kael commented, gripping the handle to the door with his left paw. He eyed Emayla expectantly, who nodded in reply.

The three companions exited the Pokemon center quickly, their escape covered easily by the throng of people that ran out to meet the day. A commotion in the courtyard of the center had drawn the mob, where two humans held a rather flamboyant shouting match. Emayla took Kael's arm, diverting their course far from the growing crowd, taking the less noticeable alleyways to the edge of town. They ran for several long minutes, taking the crisscrossing pathways far away from the distant noise. The buildings suddenly gave way to an explosion of life, the vast grasslands that separated the city from the woods beyond swaying gently in the breeze.

"Where shall we go?" Kael asked, glancing towards his trainer. Thomas shifted his precarious position on the human's shoulders, a place that he had obtained somewhere in the din of the alley. The Pichu's ears perked up with renewed vigor as he scented his distant homeland on the breeze,

"Pewter." Emayla replied. "We head north to Pewter city. Viridian may have fallen to the taint of Team Rocket, but Brock will never allow their pollution to destroy his home."

Kael nodded his acknowledgement.

Emayla took a single Pokeball from its magnetic clip on the safety of her belt, lightly clicking on the center mechanism on its surface. Kael gave her a quizzical look, eyeing the solitary Pokeball with slight suspicions. The Pokemon trainer lowered her head sheepishly. "It's best if I took to the skies." She answered, her eyes flicking to Thomas for an indication of her reasoning.

Kael followed her strain of thought, his eyes narrowing slightly at her suggestion.

"It would only be for a little while," Emayla argued to the white Lucario's silent bombardments. Her left hand started its rise towards her neck, where hung Kael's own Pokeball, clipped lightly to a strip of dark cloth that she wore as a necklace. A black paw shot towards her hand, gripping her fingers firmly, holding her in place. His red eyes bore into hers, a silent pleading pooling from their depths.

"Don't." He whispered.

Emayla brought his paw against her neck, her pulse throbbing against his claws. "It's better this way." She replied in equal volume. Kael's grip slackened, but his eyes never lost their pained glint. The trainer finished the retrieval of the Pokeball at her neck, clicking it so it enlarged for the Lucario. "I'm sorry." She murmured.

Kael backed up a step, a false smile finding its way up his maw as he glanced at the worried Thomas. Emayla lifted the Pokeball to eye level, the sincerity of her last words reflecting on her eyes, knowing the utter agony that she would soon invoke upon her partner. Kael lifted his face to the heavens, his eyes closed, his paws spread out on either side. With a swift movement, his form became that of pure light, the absolute glory of his returned shape dimming even the light of the sun. The energy swirled for a moment on the spot in which it had been created, and then suddenly snaked back inside the Pokeball with a resounding snap.

Emayla bent her head sadly, returning the Pokeball to its resting place on her neck. Unlike the other Pokemon of the world, something was amiss with her partner. This abnormal anomaly caused the Lucario actual physical pain every moment he 'rested' in the Pokeball, thus forcing the trainer to keep Kael out of that prison whenever possible.

Thomas pulled lightly on her ear, diverting Emayla from her reverie. "Chu chu pi?" He asked worriedly, glancing towards the red and white sphere at Emayla's collarbone.

"It'll be alright," Emayla replied, knowing full well the small Pichu couldn't understand her. The Pokemon trainer glanced towards the sky, her eyes narrowing slightly against the glare of the sun. "Xavier, where are you?"

EC

-Earlier that same day-

Blackfire clutched his arm in agony, curling up into a tight ball in a futile attempt to alleviate the pain. Unbidden tears flowed from his swollen eyes, staining the already blood-covered floor with their salty sting. The Rocket lieutenant could see nothing of his prison, for it was completely void of light, but he didn't care. He hardly knew who or what he was. The pain completely blotted out his thoughts, dominating his consciousness with its knowing superiority.

He laid there for hours, suffering in silent torture, the world passing unknowingly over his cage. He could hear them; they stomped just above his reach, sending slight tremors through the walls of his cell every time they passed by. Blackfire tried to cry out; tried to tell those unforgiving quakes of his plight, but his voice failed him. Air gushed out of his throat, but no noise followed, leaving the deadened air just as silent as before.

Hope was a nonexistent force in his soul, leaving him in a bleak and hopeless state. Blackfire hadn't the slightest idea on how he could possibly escape. He wasn't even sure if he could muster his willpower enough to try. Solstice had locked him up in this airtight box, waiting for his inevitable doom, like a fattened lamb for the slaughter. He could hear that accursed laughter in the clogged air around him, surrounding his body with a veil of absolute sadistic agony. Solstice enjoyed every minute of his suffering, often slinking in to the darkness to inflict yet another wound to the Rocket lieutenant's ravaged form.

Soon the footsteps above silenced, leaving the chamber in an absolute hush of terror. The only sound that dared enter his prison was the painful gasps emitted by Blackfire, Solstice having long since gone to torture its other victims.

His blood began to congeal, sealing up his numerous wounds slowly in the cold of his chamber. His mind began to shut off the receptors for pain in his body, allowing Blackfire to think clearly for the first time in several hours. He blinked, trying to catch a glimpse of his prison. Nothing allowed itself to be seen; no light dared pervade the box. Blackfire slowly rose from his painful crouch, his head brushing the top of the prison without having risen to his full extent. If he extended his arms to either side, they brushed the edges of his cell, regardless of the directions he twisted in.

A wail slowly rose from the depths of his lungs; a scream of pure agony that ripped through the sickly air. His scream tore through his throat for hours, lacerating his voice to nothing more than a pitiful whimper. The echoes of his yell bounced off the walls repeatedly, having nowhere to escape, thudding heavily back into his consciousness every time they passed. Blackfire collapsed onto the floor.

Suddenly, a harsh explosion ripped through the roof of his prison, hurling the Rocket lieutenant into the far wall. Light bled in through an imperceptible crack in the roof, bathing Blackfire in a bloody halo.

Fire blasted again against the roof, followed by sharp claws that easily tore through the protection of the darkened cell. Blackfire lifted his hand above his head, shielding his sensitive eyes from the assault of illumination.

Creed hacked at the roof with increasing vigor, his maw still dripping with liquid fire. The Houndoom ripped away stone slabs, a whine escaping from his throat when he saw his defeated master.

"C-Creed?" Blackfire whispered, hardly able to believe his eyes, thinking this to be a horrid hallucination.

The Houndoom whimpered in reply, his paws bleeding from the force of his dig. The hole finished its own opening with the pull of gravity, allowing a cavity just large enough for Blackfire to push through. The Rocket lieutenant lifted his hand into the air, his strength having left his body long ago.

Creed clamped onto his masters arm with his commanding jaws, his fangs ripping through the soft flesh, but finding a solid hold. His powerful muscles rippling with the effort, the Houndoom heaved his weakened master out of the pit.

Blackfire gripped the lightened surface land with absolute joy, tears falling from his eyes. Creed whimpered again, padding slowly to his master's side, his head lowered, and his spiked tail waving back and fourth in happiness. The former Rocket lieutenant reached up with his good hand to gently pat his faithful Houndoom. Creed licked his master's hand in reply, panting slightly from the effort of his work. "Good boy."

Creed nudged his head against Blackfire, telling the human to rise. Blackfire obliged, one hand placed firmly on the Houndoom's back for support as he did.

Blackfire lifted his head, taking in the deep scenery of the land. The castle of Tirus loomed far away on the great hill, its gardens swarming with his chosen elite. A glittering plane of tall grass swayed in the late afternoon light between the castle and where Blackfire stood, their arms dancing in ignorance. Several Team Rocket agents prowled about the premise of the land, thus explaining the tremors that ravaged his cell earlier, but none stalked clearing on which Blackfire rested.

"Let's get out of here, Creed." Blackfire rasped, wrapping his fingers in the warm fur of his Houndoom, feeling the powerful muscles responding lightly to his touch. The dark fire Pokemon turned lightly on the spot, padding quietly into the day, his master in tow.


	6. Tribulations

Wow. Chapter six. I never thought I'd make it. Thank you to everyone who has kept with Retribution thus far, and a special thanks to my reviewers: FrostDeman, Twilight- The Moon Spirit, and Galalithial. You people are absolutely amazing. And an even more special thanks to Galalithial for being the first person to review all my chapters, and even mentioning Retribution in his own story, Black Butterflies.

I'm accepting OC's for Retribution if anyone is interested. Either as a traveling companion for Emayla and Kael, or an enemy, or whatever else that could possibly occur. Thorough descriptions are recommended, otherwise I would have to make up the lacking parts.

Also, school has begun. Updates, hopefully, will be once a week, but may be dropped to one every two weeks, depending on my work load.

* * *

Chapter six

Tribulations

Thomas gazed restlessly at the passing scenery as it flew beneath him, his small eyes flickering from tree to tree as he attempted to capture their visage in his mind. Evergreens nearly brushed Skye's soft plumed stomach as she soared overhead, her powerful wings beating softly in the sweet afternoon air. The Pichu whimpered slightly as he saw the tips of Viridian forest far off into the distance, smoke still trailing into the sky above, its dark fingers tickling the stomach of the clouds. His small, yellow ears deflated slightly down onto his back with the path of the wind, his distress easily playing out on his face.

Emayla cocked her head to the side to gaze at Thomas, her red eyes easily scanning his face. She offered no response to the Pichu's silent longing, knowing that interjecting her own thoughts into his consciousness would only invite trouble. Her face eventually turned in a similar angle to Skye's, allowing the Pokemon trainer a full view of the landscape as they soared overhead. Pulling slightly on the downy feathers that laced the Pidgeot's neck, Emayla easily diverted her course slightly to the east as a mountain range began its ascent over the horizon, heralding their proximity to Pewter city.

Thomas swerved his head towards the new distraction, his nose twitching as he attempted to catch the scent of the mountain range on the breeze. "What're those?" He asked loudly, having to raise his voice over the screaming of the wind. Thomas lifted a tiny paw towards the distant peaks, one small finger extended to accentuate his point.

Emayla smiled briefly. "Those are called mountains, Thomas." She gently prodded Skye, who in turn lowered her angle of flight, allowing the crests of the trees to swallow the companions. "They're like boulders, but really, really big."

Thomas cocked his head, blinking several times in an attempt to wash the loose fur that slapped into his eyes. He attempted to envision just how big those far away boulders were, but he couldn't quite muster the required imagination to do so.

The mountains slowly grew, their massive arms swallowing the forests in their rocky depths. The green world gave way to a massive influx of gray and brown, rocks and boulders tumbling down to dominate the landscape. The soft breeze of the wood died, its gentle caress replaced by a bitter snapping wind that flowed off the shoulder of the great mountain range.

Thomas scrunched up his small nose, sniffing in displeasure at the change in terrain. His eyes watered at the unfamiliar air, causing the small Pichu shifts of discomfort. He curled up against Emayla's warm shoulder, his yellow fur billowing wildly in the untamed wind that always kissed Pewter city.

EC

Emayla gently shifted her weight to a greater degree on Skye's broad shoulders, her message getting through easily as the Pidgeot understood instantly, descending in a quiet angle towards the open boulder plains on the outskirts of Pewter. The massive bird Pokemon sent flurries into the blistering air with each powerful beat of her wings, sending rock and ground alike Pokemon scattering into their underground refuges. Alternating her motions against the surge of the oncoming gravity, Emayla swung her legs over Skye's side, sliding down the soft downy feathers with surprising speed, causing her to come to a jarring halt against the harsh rocks below.

Even before her momentum had finished its course, the Pokemon trainer slipped a hand urgently to her neck, unclipping the laden Pokeball from its place. With a subtle click, the sphere rapidly enlarged, allowing Emayla to release the stored energy within. The light swirled maddeningly, its arms dancing about in random patterns, searching for its base form. Soon the light merged in on itself, taking form of a rather disheveled Kael.

The Lucario straightened himself out from the crouched position he had taken, his white fur ruffled in obvious discomfort. "Never again," He growled, stretching his arms out to their fullest extent.

Emayla stroked Skye gently with her hand, smoothing down the weathered feathers of the Pidgeot as the Pokemon panted beneath her grasp. "I'm sorry," Emayla admitted to Kael with full sincerity, her eyes slanted apologetically. "I wouldn't have put you through that if there had been another way."

Kael sighed, nodding his head in full understanding.

Emayla responded to her white Lucario's actions with a soft sigh of her own, clipping Kael's Pokeball back onto her necklace with a subtle movement.

Skye let out a parting call as her body shifted into a core of light, her shimmering form quickly disappearing into the Pokeball that Emayla held aloft. The Pokemon trainer returned the sphere onto its magnetic clip quickly, noting with slight satisfaction as Thomas lifted his head from the hood of her furred jacket, his tiny black eyes widened in wonder and the rocky world.

"Pi! Pichu pi! Pichu chu pi pi?" He exclaimed, his head swerving around madly to catch a glimpse of a fleeing Sandshrew. Emayla let out an involuntary grunt of pain as the Pichu pulled on her ear to get the Pokemon trainer's attention, his small paws gripping her skin firmly.

"'Rocks! Rocks everywhere! What happened to all the trees?'" Kael translated, a smile twisting its way up his maw.

Emayla raised her hand to her shoulder, gently scratching Thomas' twitching ears. The Pichu responded by leaning his head against her touch, prodding the trainer on, smiling in exhilaration.

Kael lifted his head against the tide of the winds, his white fur billowing in the strong gusts. He sniffed a few times, scrunching up his nose in distaste. When Emayla cast a curious glance his way, the Lucario sighed and shook his head. "The air here is so… lifeless." He replied, his red eyes casually scanning the arid landscape. "It's been a while since I couldn't hear the voices of the forest in the breeze."

Emayla nodded wistfully, her own gaze following that of her Pokemon. An Onix lifted its majestic head from its feeding, letting out a low roar as it acknowledged the party of three on the fields of Pewter. "Not quite the same, is it?"

"Pichu pi?" Thomas asked quietly, slinking back into the warm sanctuary of Emayla's hood, his ears pressing against his back.

Kael swerved his head around, following Thomas' line of sight, his eyes narrowing in worry. A distant cloud of dust broke the gentle sway of the rocky land, its long arms reaching far into the sky. "It's time we left."

-Later that night-

_I gazed up at the reddening sky, my eyes clouded with misty tears. The air was cold. I felt my spine tingling with a nervous energy, my heart pounding with unknown fears. The world around me was burning, fire licking the skies with its pride. I saw the bloody light of the fires all around me, but I couldn't feel their heat. I was shivering in the smoke infested air._

_ I lifted my maw to the heavens, my golden fur providing no protection in the darkness. My nine elegant tails streamed out behind me in an array of flashing movements, bringing back memories of a life long since lost. I'm myself again, as I should be. I'm a Ninetales. I am Amarri._

_ Was the fire my doing? I perked my sensitive ears forward, looking for the distinct patterns of burning that deemed the inferno as my own. The sound was foreign to me. I didn't recognize the fires that ravaged the land below me._

_ Then I saw him._

_ He walked slowly towards me, his white mane billowing in the heat of the inferno. The Arcanine padded through the alien flames with practiced grace, his paws barely touching the charred grass below as he walked. His blood-red eyes bore into my soul, carrying with them the touch of his burning spirit. I recoiled slightly at his approach, wary. I couldn't believe my eyes as he stopped before me, his head cocked to the side in questioning._

_ "Amarri?" He called. His deep voice struck a chord deep within my heart, causing tears to well up in my eyes. I found myself unknowingly following a familiar path to him. His eyes softened at my approach, a cavernous rumble of pleasure resonating from deep within his chest as I pressed my head against his firm neck._

_ "Tirus," I whispered, closing my eyes in rapture at the feel of his soft body. His inner fire warmed me, sending contented shivers down my spine. "I've missed you dearly."_

_ "Oh my love," Tirus replied quietly, running his muzzle through my fur. "It has been too long since we last saw each other." His striped orange fur glowed in the light of the thousand fires, illuminating the Arcanine in a halo of brilliant red._

_ I pulled back from his embrace, looking deep into his eyes, my maw pulled into a smile. "Too long." I repeated._

_ Tirus smiled lovingly._

_ My glance of adoration was replaced by a grimace of worry as a flash of anger passed beneath his eyes. Something changed in his soul; a subtle shift with the harshest of implications. I saw the darkness beneath his shell of love. I took a tentative step backwards, my head slightly turned to the side._

_ Tirus' visage immediately changed. The Arcanine that I had loved vanished in the blink of an eye, leaving behind the tyrannical Pokemon that ripped apart my heart. Tirus reared back his head is anger, blood spilling from his maw, the blood of the young lives that he had stolen from me. The blood of our children drenched the earth, spattering my golden pelt with a boiling rage. I could hear my cub's dying screams. I could see their terrified faces in Tirus' eyes as their father tore them apart, consuming them in belief that he would save me._

_ I cried out in agony as the memories of that horrible night took hold, sending me spiraling down into the darkness of Tirus' heart._

Emayla's scream carried out into the night, ripping from her throat in an urgent rush. She awoke to that same scream, its echoes tearing into her soul. Bolting upright in her bed, Emayla threw back the strangling hold of the sheets, startling the slumbering forms of her two Pokemon into the world of awakening. She crumpled forward, covering her eyes with her hands, sobs shaking her body.

Kael hurried to his master's side, gripping her firmly in his paws. The white Lucario shook her in the darkness, his red eyes prodding her. "Emayla!" He called, his voice ringing with worry. "Emayla!"

The Pokemon trainer looked up at Kael's searching gaze, tears glistening in her eyes. She let out a ragged gasp of air, words flying from her mouth.

Kael wrapped her tightly in his embrace, careful to keep her vulnerable body away from the spike on his chest. Emayla buried her face into his shoulder, sobbing in earnest as the loss of her children fully took hold. The white Lucario gently stroked her hair, keeping her firmly in his warm grasp. With subtle movements, Kael seated himself at the edge of the bed, allowing Emayla to fully lean upon his body for support.

The night waned on, as did the Pokemon trainer's consciousness. Slowly she slipped back into sleep, still enveloped in Kael's embrace.

A small smile found its way onto Emayla's face as the lethargy took hold, her dreams peaceful under the protection of her trusted partner.

EC

The lights of the Pokemon center flickered in the mid-morning hours, their dim illumination barely offering enough to keep the receptionist's desk in view. The dark streets of Viridian beyond were silent; nothing moved at the late hour. The subtle air-conditioning of the building whispered as it worked, never relenting against the summer's heat. The indoor plants sagged in the lack of sufficient light, their unyielding needs never satisfied in the walls of the Pokemon center.

Blackfire glared down in apathy at his victim, snorting slightly as the man gave way to the all-consuming darkness of death. The receptionist gave a slight twitch as Creed dislodged himself from the human's windpipe, blood still dripping from his glistening maw. The Houndoom flicked his tail in finality, turning deftly and returning to his master's side.

"Interesting," The former Rocket lieutenant murmured. "So she decided to head north?" Blackfire turned lightly on his heel, stalking easily out of the lobby of the Pokemon center, his boot clicking lightly on the linoleum surface. The automatic doors slid open quietly, allowing the darkness to pool into the flickering building. Blackfire casually strode into the night, into his element, a dark smile playing on his face. A chill breeze picked up into the shadows beyond, playing a soft tune against the stone walls of Viridian city, beckoning the former Rocket lieutenant forward. He obliged, Creed easily following behind at a leisurely pace, the Houndoom's maw trailing into a wicked grin.

"Welcome back,"

Blackfire swung around; his right fist riding the air to connect with whomever dared interrupt his thoughts. He easily fell short, several feet of air separating his attack from the smiling face of agent Dagger. Blackfire's face immediately fell into a deep scowl, his eyes narrowing in dislike.

Dagger mused for a moment at the reaction of his former coworker, his arms lightly crossed across the red R emblazed on his uniform. He chuckled, lowering his head slightly and shaking it. "Its good to see you survived your probing by the Masters." His gaze lifted, a dark smile slapped across his visage. "Tell me," Dagger continued, running his fingers over his small beard. "How did you manage to do it? You must be the first to escape them in eight thousand years."

"Eight thousand years?" Blackfire mocked. His fist curled back, resting tensely at his side.

Dagger's grin traveled farther up his face. A Banette wrapped around agent Dagger's shoulder, its own wicked smile forever etched upon its evil face. Its transparent fingers coiled around the air, meaning to grasp the far Blackfire.

Blackfire's eyebrow rose slightly. "A Banette?" He questioned, suspicion easily rising.

Dagger laughed, his voice mimicked by the ghost Pokemon floating at his neck. "You don't catch on quickly, do you?" He reached up, running a single finger over the Banette's forehead. "I took your place." Dagger casually said, a chuckle barely suppressed beneath his words. "You of all people should know that the promotion comes with a partner of your choosing." He waved a hand indifferently towards Creed, who snarled up at the giggling Banette, fire bleeding from his maw.

"What do you want here?" Blackfire asked harshly, his muscles tensing as he waited for the opportune moment to strike, his Houndoom mimicking his movements with practiced subtlety.

"Always to the point?" Dagger remarked, his eyes flashing in the dim moonlight. A Pokeball materialized into his fingers, already enlarged and ready for deployment. "I'm here for a fight, and by the rules of conduct, you have to oblige to my wishes."

Blackfire snorted in amusement. "Has your brain been sucked dry already, Dagger? I no longer work for Tirus. The rules of conduct for Team Rocket don't apply to one who isn't in their gang anymore." The former Rocket lieutenant turned on his heel, his back exposed to Dagger in pure confidence. Without a backwards glance, Blackfire stalked away, Creed easily following behind at his heels.

"My, my," Dagger's whisper traveled down the arms of the night, tickling Blackfire's ears with a mocking touch. "You've only been away from your duties a few days, and already you have the heart of a coward."

Blackfire stopped. He glanced towards Creed, who met his eyes with an eager glare of his own. In unison, the two of them turned on the spot, the fire's of battle burning beneath both their eyes. The Houndoom took a step towards the hated lieutenant Dagger, his fangs barred white in the shadows.

A brilliant flash of light temporarily illuminated the darkened streets of Viridian, its core congealing into a hulking shape between the two men. The swirling illumination thickened quickly, hardened easily into thick scales several inches thick. The menacing Feraligator uncoiled its thick muscles, the cords twisting and snapping in response to the massive Pokemon's wishes. The water Pokemon gazed down at Creed with its blood thirsty gaze, its wicked tongue lashing between its massive fangs. Its claws clenched in anticipation of ripping the smaller fire Pokemon apart.

Creed faltered a step at the sheer size of his opponent, but he quickly caught himself, refueling the furious fires of his might with his anger. The dark fire Pokemon raised his proud head in response to the Feraligator's growled challenge, his muscles rippling under his thin, black coat.

"Begin," Dagger called easily from behind the bulk of his Pokemon.

The Feraligator exploded into impossible motion for a beast of its size, ramming its massive body into the smaller Houndoom, its water dripping fangs inches from Creed's throat. The surprised fire Pokemon yelped as his body was crushed under the sheer weight of the Feraligator, his paws scraping helplessly against the thick scales. Wiggling his body, the Houndoom wormed his way out from the direct path of the Feraligator as they fell, insuring that he wasn't crushed as the larger Pokemon slammed into the ground. Creed gripped the scales on the Feraligator's back with his sharp claws, pulling up and away before the water Pokemon had time to raise itself from its take down. Creed crouched back as the Feraligator rose, his muscles tensing. As the water Pokemon finished its ascent, the Houndoom used the given momentum to launch himself, digging with his razor claws in an attempt to get beneath the layer of scales that protected the hide of the larger Pokemon. The Feraligator snarled and turned, his swiping claws coming within an inch of Creed's retreating back.

"Hydro pump." Dagger's voice rung coldly across the pavement.

The Feraligator readily obliged, its jaws opening widely to allow the massive influx of water that built within its body. The jet of water exploded from its mouth, traveling so fast that the edges of the water remained perfectly intact, transforming the water into a spear.

"Dodge it!" Blackfire called, unable to see his Pokemon past the massive shoulders of the Feraligator.

Creed obeyed immediately, swerving to the side, his paws scraping madly against the hard ground in his haste. The hydro pump whirled harmlessly past, its maddened rage stopped by the side of a building, taking a fair chunk of wall out in its wake. The Houndoom crouched back, fire tickling his jaw.

"Circle back around," Blackfire bellowed, angling himself around to get a better glimpse of the battlefield. Creed eyed his master, his tail flicking in acknowledgement. "Get as close as you can to his neck!"

Creed nodded, pulling his stomach close to the ground, crawling along the pavement, his black fur blending easily into the night. The Feraligator, its sight poor in the dim lights of the moon, growled as the phantom Houndoom slipped into the darkness. The dark fire Pokemon pulled along to the side of the Feraligator, careful to keep his instinctual fires low to avoid drawing attention to himself.

"Calm yourself, Flood." Dagger instructed to his Pokemon, his eyes casually enjoying the spectacle. "That Houndoom is a clumsy hunter at best. Listen. You can hear it trying to pull up to your left."

At his master's words, Flood pulled around, another hydro pump spewing from his eager jaws. Creed didn't bother to wait for his master's words. With maddening agility, the Houndoom sprung out of the hydro pump's path, fire belching fourth from his fangs as he flew. The inferno raged across the space between the two battling Pokemon with a savage roar, enveloping the Feraligator in a swelling mass of heat. Being a water Pokemon with a natural resistance to such attacks, Flood let out a guttural laugh, sweeping his claws around in the fire to dampen its fingers. Creed took full advantage of the momentary distraction, sending himself head on into the fire. The blaze licked his fur with half-hearted vigor, unable to catch fire on the Houndoom's oily, fire resistant pelt. Flood cried out in surprise as Creed came flying through the bloody wall, his head thrown back as the Houndoom impacted. The dark fire Pokemon latched himself onto the soft skin below the Feraligator's eyes, knowing that he wasn't to utterly destroy his opponent. With savage grace, the Houndoom tore deep into Flood's eye sockets, splashing both battlers with bubbling blood. The Feraligator threw back his head in agony, sending Creed spiraling out of the flame wheel. The Houndoom landed easily on his feet. Reversing the momentum, Creed sprung back into his trap, this time angling himself lower in his rush. The Houndoom burst forth again into the barrier of fire, his deadly teeth ripping into the soft pads of Flood's hands. The Feraligator swung around with his free hand, his sharp claws ripping easily into Creed's vulnerable back. Creed yelped in pain, detaching himself from his victim. The Houndoom landed at an odd angle with the ground, causing him to stumble as he caught himself with his paws. Flood took hold of this advantage to launch the smaller Pokemon away with a well placed kick. Creed spun away into the air as the solid mass of muscle that was the water Pokemon connected with his side, his paws flailing madly as he attempted to salvage the situation. The Houndoom landed heavily several dozen feet away at the feet of a drug store, the wind knocked out of his lungs.

The fire spin finally dissipated, allowing Flood a full glimpse of the situation. The Feraligator sneered at the smaller Pokemon as Creed attempted to stand, his legs wobbly beneath him. Muscles and tendons ripping with the massive effort, Flood exploded towards the fallen Pokemon, his fangs barred for the kill.

"Get up, Creed!" Blackfire called out in desperation to his Pokemon, his heart thudding in his ears at the rush of the battle. "Get up!"

Creed weakly lifted his horned head up from the gutter in which it lay, his eyes clouded with dizziness. Before he had time to register his fate, Flood was upon him. The Feraligator savagely ripped into the smaller Pokemon's flanks, painting the sidewalk with blood. The Houndoom cried out in agony as his life was literally pulled from his body. His mind clouded, and his sense began to dull. But through the sudden onrush of pain, Creed heard two words that slapped into his consciousness with powerful force.

"Dark pulse!"

A wave of the blackest energy burst forth from Creed, ramming into the larger Pokemon with such rage to send him crashing down onto the road. Flood lay on his back, stunned from the power that emanated from his weakened opponent, his mind swaying in a clouded daze. Creed rose unsteadily to his feet, his red eyes boring deep into Flood's now frightened soul. Another dark pulse exploded from his form, ripping into the Feraligator's consciousness, rendering the larger Pokemon helpless before him.

"Crunch." Blackfire stated in finality, knowing this battle to be won.

Creed inched towards the whimpering Feraligator, his jaw still dripping in blood. With a snarl rumbling from deep within his throat, the Houndoom latched onto Flood's windpipe, his tail twitching in pleasure as he felt the Feraligator die beneath him.

"Stop."

Creed let got of Flood in surprise at the force of the single statement, his head slightly cocked in confusion.

Dagger shook his head. "The battle is won, Blackfire." The retrieval mechanism on the Pokeball spurred into life, bringing away the battered Feraligator deep into its protective depths. With a subtle toss, the Pokeball went flying across the blood-covered battle field, landing with a dull thump at Blackfire's feet. "As decreed by the rules of conduct, the victor wins the losers Pokemon. I relinquish Flood to you." The Rocket lieutenant's eyes shone with a cold light, the merciless depths behind them showing no remorse towards relinquishing the Feraligator.

Blackfire stooped down, scooping up the stilled Pokeball in his hand, his eyes never leaving Dagger.

Creed walked weakly to his master's side, his back and side still bleeding profusely from his battle. The Houndoom licked Blackfire's hand once, before he collapsed onto the pavement, panting with tremendous effort.

With his free hand, Blackfire gently stroked his loyal Pokemon, murmuring a quiet word of gratitude. A smile wound its way onto his face as he glared at Dagger.

"Enjoy your lapse of victory, Blackfire." Dagger scoffed, his eyes narrowing. "No one has ever escaped from the Masters. We intend to keep it that way." The night began to thicken around lieutenant Dagger, congealing into a solid mass around the contours of his body. The vapor of darkness swung inwards, and then dissipated, leaving nothing in its wake. Final words of parting rang out against every building, echoing in the entire city of Viridian, slamming hard into Blackfire's mind. "No one."

EC

Tirus lifted his head from the soft downy pillow, his thoughts troubled from the dream that still filled his consciousness. He could still feel Amarri; he could still feel her fur against his body. Her scent tickled his nose, sending his mind whirling, his defenses drastically lowered by her intoxicating smell. His heart thudded as he remembered her.

Tirus rose slowly from his bed, careful not to disturb his latest wife; wife number 7065, if he remembered correctly. He wasn't even sure of her name, but it didn't matter to him. She'd die, as did all the others, within a short amount of time. Mortals didn't live long enough to hold sway over his heart.

Walking slowly over to the stained glass window of the gargantuan bedroom, Tirus clasped his arms across his back, his mind whirling in deep thought. His eyes trailed over the detailed splotches of color that covered the entire window, depicting a magnificent Ninetales in all her glory. His Ninetales. His Amarri.

Tirus lifted his hand into the air, a single finger trailing over the cold surface of the glass, tracing the delicate lines of the Ninetales' eye. "Oh, my love." He whispered, his words misting in the cold air. "Soon, we shall be together again."


	7. Remembrance

Here we are at Chapter 7. Happy (late) one month anniversary to Retribution! I would have gotten this up sooner, but I spent most of my free time this weekend creating a cover for Retrubution. (I've posted a link for it on my profile)

A big thanks to Galalithial, Laci Cullen, and Shiny Eevee4 for reviewing! One of the greatest incentives I get towards the continuation of this story is the reviews people write. I wouldn't have even bothered to make it this far if I hadn't gotten any reviews. Meaning: if Retribution is to survive, I need reviews!

This story is subject to change. I have an outline that I follow when writing each chapter, but I usually completely change what I had originally planned out. In other words, if something doesn't make sense, or needs further explaining, feel free to mention so. I can easily incorporate the changes into the new chapter.

I'm still looking for some OCs if anyone is interested. Thorough descriptions and/or backgrounds are recommended.

* * *

Chapter 7

Remembrance

"He lives here?" Emayla asked, skepticism tracing her voice. The brilliant noon sun bathed the city of Pewter in a flash of gold, dashing the stone walls in a coat of illumination, causing the entire mountainside to be bathed in an aurora of yellows. Flocks of bird Pokemon flew overhead, their calls echoing off the silent stones, unwilling to land their fragile bodies amongst so many of their adversaries. They skirted the occasional cloud that dared penetrate the blindingly blue sky, their intricate dances painting masterpieces across the heavens. An occasional Trapinch would look up from its lair, its rounded head glaring around for its daily meal. Diglett and Dugtrio traversed the barren landscape in massive herds, their bobbing heads sending small shock waves across the desolate land. A Mamoswine sized Hippowdon let out a deep bellow in welcoming of the sun, its dark scaled back stretched out to catch the warming rays.

The despondent Pokemon trainer lifted her head in a slight angle to catch a glimpse of the failing roof, her eyes narrowing in suspicion and worry. The aging walls of the building sagged, their luster long since lost in decades past. Chips and cracks dotted the face of the stone precipice, their jagged lines cutting deep into the structure. The single door creaked openly on its seldom used hinges, its rotting wood melting away. Emayla glanced around at the surrounding areas, noting with some worry that the rest of the city was kept in good care, their stone shining brilliantly in the light, casting this forgotten house into deep shadow.

"I'm afraid so." Kael replied, his ears angled back against his head. His white fur bristled out against the gloom emanating from the mouth of the ragged home.

Emayla took a tentative step forwards, one hand gently trailing against the stone doorway, her red eyes peering deep into the gloom. Rocks cracked and fell away at her touch, clattering loudly against the cobbled roads on Pewter. "Hello?" She called into the din, her feet gently raising puffs of dust into the stilled air with each step. "Jack?"

EC

Thomas looked up at the faces of his guardians, shivering as he did so. The two walked calmly before him, their tails swishing in the previously undisturbed dirt below. The powerful electric Pokemon paid him no heed as they traveled, their focus intent towards their destination on the horizon. Sparks of electricity occasionally lanced off their fur, escaping its temporary storage with viscous anger.

Rowell glanced over his shoulder to the smaller Pichu, a smile slowly materializing. The Ampharos slowed his pace, ignoring the scoff given to him by Keiva as she continued ahead. "Hey," He said calmly to Thomas, his face once again aligned with the horizon. The red orb planted on his forehead glinted in the steely light.

Thomas dared not turn his head in full attention to the Ampharos, fearing some unknown creed that kept the two at close quarters to him. "Hi," he whispered quietly, his ears slanted back in worry.

Rowell smiled again, a small sigh escaping his lips before the could catch himself. The taller Ampharos stopped abruptly, causing the others to imitate his actions with questioning looks dotting their faces. Lifting his head on a higher angle towards the glistening sun, Rowell raised his arms out on either side. He inhaled deeply the untainted air, his fur billowing in the omnipresent wind. "This looks like a good place to start." He commented, a knowing glance shot Keiva's way. The Luxray replied with a swish of her tail, seating herself down onto the beaten turf underfoot, her maw curled up into a shining smile.

Thomas twiddled his fingers in agitation as he awaited his unknown judgment, his shoulders drooped in defeat, his tail deflated against the dirt. The Pichu dared not lift his gaze.

"Thomas," Rowell said regally, causing the smaller Pokemon to lift his head slightly to catch his words. "Keiva and I have brought you here under the orders of our master. The lady Emayla wishes for us to teach you the ways of the electric Pokemon."

EC

The inside of the destroyed building let in choked amounts of light, its bedraggled arms swollen with half-eager dances of dust. Dirt caked the floor in a fine layer of darkness, giving the stone precipice a jagged reach. Opaque windows denied access to their secretive depths, their faces revealing nothing of the illuminated world beyond. Dark stains streaked the walls in random patterns. The destroyed light fixtures swung lightly from their blasted hinges, flashes of halfhearted light flickering as the wires managed to make minute contacts.

Emayla tentatively took another step deeper into the foreboding house, Kael following close by, an aura sphere of illumination already flickering in his paw. "Jack?" Emayla called again, raising her voice as loud as she dared. Her red eyes inadvertently trailed along the splotches on the wall. She held her left arm out to her side, gently stopping her partner. "Be ready." She whispered.

They stood in silence for several long minutes, eying every crevice that the single floor allowed with equal suspicion. Stairs led to either level of the house at the far end of the chamber, their dark belly's allowing no hints to what harbored inside the rest of the abode.

Movement suddenly shifted off to the side; a darker shape against the backdrop. It scurried along the floor, causing both Pokemon and trainer to tense in anticipation, the aura sphere flaring to life. A man sprang out into the light, his face cracked into a wide grin. The sudden appearance of a human froze both companions, whom were expecting the perpetrator of the disastrous house. The man hovered for a moment on the outskirts of the light, a childish smile still splashed across his face. The complete oddity of the man spoke for his level of sanity, allowing Emayla to ease back for further inspection. His cracked glasses were entirely covered in soot, allowing absolutely no visibility past their shield. His crooked nose barely kept his spectacles above the verge of his eyes, causing the glass device to tip precariously every time he moved. His no longer white lab coat was covered in stains similar to those that dotted the walls, though the color was a less menacing deep orange. He wrung his hands in impatience as he watched the two, his wispy brown hair bobbing in accordance with his movements.

"Jack?" Emayla dared ask, leaning forward slightly as though to catch a glimpse of the man's covered eyes. The odd little human shook his head vigorously in recognition, turning immediately on his heel, motioning for the two to follow him deeper into the heart of the building. Without bothering to wait for their reactions, he disappeared down into the lower levels of the rotting home, his coat cutting down the sharp corner in his haste. With a glance towards Kael, who merely shrugged, Emayla followed Jack down into the basement, her hand trailing along the wall to allow the Pokemon trainer to keep her balance in the darkness.

The deeper they traversed into the earth, the lighter the passageway got, until it opened up into a massive antechamber with rows upon rows of laden tables. The unearthly light murmured from the very rocks that lined the walls of the room, its arms reaching every possible nook in the gigantic space. Vials with varying colors of potions covered most of the available surfaces, their own depths giving off a light all their own, the mixtures of lights from the whole collection of jars distorting the very air.

Jack had stopped in the exact center of the room, his childish grin still slapped solidly in place. His knuckles cracked from years of obvious neglect as rubbed his hands against each other.

The room lapsed into silence, the only sounds that dared permeate the gloom coming off the ever-bubbling potions.

Footsteps reverberated off the roof of the stone chamber, causing Emayla and Kael to swerve around to face this new threat, the insane bobbing figure of Jack temporarily forgotten. Another man in a reasonably cleaner lab coat calmly walked down the steps, his nose buried in several sheets of thin paper, his nose scrunched up in concentration. He mumbled to himself for a moment before looking up from his work, his visage transforming immediately from serene understanding to confusion as he saw the intruders in his lab.

He glanced around the two tensed invaders, a single eyebrow raised. "Jack?" He asked the insane human, his eyes narrowing in a parental form of scolding. "What did you do this time?"

Jack lowered his eyes, his head bowed in shame.

The man chucked, his shoulders bouncing quite radically with the movements of his mirth. "I'm sorry for whatever troubles my brother has caused you," He began, walking around the two to stand by one of the various tables, his face once again buried inside the papers. "I know he means well, but it can be a bit hard to understand his motives from time to time."

Emayla cleared her throat in slight annoyance, taking a step towards the newcomer, her arms slightly tensed at her side. "Are you Richard Alumno?"

Richard once again raised his head from his readings, his smile still in place as though their conversation had not been interrupted. "Indeed I am. How might I help you Ms...?"

"Sarah." Emayla casually responded, ignoring the questioning glance Kael shot her way. "I actually came here to ask Jack a few things. I understand he is well educated in the lore of ancient societies?"

"Was. Was well educated," Richard corrected, padding lightly to a yellow tinged jar, carefully swirling its contents with a glass spoon. The liquids spun erratically, their yellow form congealing to a deep brown as their momentum slowed. The human placed the glass spoon down onto the surface of the table, wiping his fingers on the side of his coat. "I'm afraid he's all but lost his mind." Richard lifted his free hand quickly, indicating to the stone basement with a dismissive wave of his hand. "What you see here is the remnants of his house. Something happened a few years back that caused him to become, er," Richard paused, his lips pressed together tightly as he searched for the right word. "Unhinged. I came here to continue with his work and help his wife in caring for him."

Emayla inevitably found herself glancing back towards Jack, who stood wistfully in the center of the room, happily singing to himself, gently swaying in time with his murmured harmonies. "Do you know if he kept any records of his findings?"

Richard cocked his head to one side. "As far as I know, any major records were destroyed in the event that caused his current condition." Alumno squinted at Kael as though seeing the Lucario for the first time as he spoke, his mouth curved in interest. "A white Lucario? That's quite the rare find, Sarah."

Ignoring his latter comment, Emayla turned her shoulder to the working professor, carefully picking her way across the room to the unsuspecting Jack, who was now inspecting a rather vigorous Spinarak that worked in the corner of the basement laboratory. "Jack?" She asked quietly, disregarding the annoying titters coming from Richard as he approached her Pokemon. The insane human turned his head towards the direction of his name, his eyes not catching sight of the trainer standing before him. He still wore his dumbfounded smile as she stopped before him, his arms clasped behind him in a scholarly position. "Jack, it's me."

"Wont do you any good." Richard commented from behind her, now eying their exchange with more than a passing interest. His pen paused from it's notes, the previously unnoticed scribblings silencing the room once again. "I've been trying to get him to talk for years. Haven't succeeded once."

Emayla glanced over her shoulder, shooting a condescending glare Richards way, her eyes narrowed in distaste. She motioned for Kael to follow her lead, who readily obliged, the white Lucario showing obvious signs of relief. He padded lightly to her side, his aura sphere already congealing into several strands of light. "I need you to connect our thoughts," She whispered, her eyes flicking to the inquiring look of Richard beyond. "I don't particularly want Richard to catch wind of why we're here. I don't trust him. Do you think you can do that? Subtly?"

Kael smiled slightly, nodding. He snaked his way between the two, cords of aura already starting their throws of movement. Keeping the angle between Richard and his work in good condition, Kael wormed the cords around the wrists of both humans, the tips of light gently penetrating their skin. Emayla shivered as she felt Kael's aura slowly travel up her body, leaving behind long, thin trails. Jack imitated her movements, his arms jerking rather erratically in discomfort as he felt the unfamiliar aura penetrate his form. Kael eased backwards as he finally connected to their minds, allowing his Psychic powers to take over, penetrating the deepest levels of their consciousness.

A flash of light stole in front of Emayla's eyes, causing the Pokemon trainer to reel back in surprise. She blinked several times as the light dissipated, finding herself verily floating in a different plane, Jack standing far from her across the swirling world. The darkness of the reality twisted and snapped around them, snaking its way around the abyssal pit as a fog.

"Hello?" She called, her voice echoing across the swirling darkness.

Jack twitched madly as her words reached him, causing him to swerve his entire body towards the origin of the sound. "H-hello?" He replied nervously, his voice creaking across the vast expanse of the void.

Emayla lifted her arm slowly, attempting to cross the vast distance between the two. An invisible force stopped her, causing her to rebound backwards, keeping her far from the trembling man. "Jack," Emayla continued. "It's me. Emayla."

"Emayla?" Jack repeated, looking off to the side as though to catch a glimpse of a fleeting memory. His brow furrowed for a moment, his eyes closed in deep thought. "Em... Emayla..." Jack lifted his head, his eyes clear past the dust of his glasses. "I... remember now. Emayla. Amarri."

Emayla nodded. "Yes. It's Amarri." Jack smiled in recognition. "I need to ask you something."

Jack bobbed his head slowly. "Yes, yes. Anything."

"What do you remember from the writings of Anicea? About counteracting forced transformation?"

Jack crossed his arms. "Anicea?" His head once again lowered into thought, his glittering eyes lost to the darkness. "I don't wish to disappoint you, Amarri, but it has been so long since," he paused. "Since I've been able to do much of anything."

"It's alright." Emayla soothed, trying to lower the strain Kael had to endure to keep their varying minds connected by calming the professor. "Just tell me whatever you can."

Only the darkness dared breathe as Jack thought, its arms entangling about one another in its never ending dance. "Forced transformation never has been an exact art. Not even Arceus has totally mastered its implications. To make a human or Pokemon forgo their natural state to come something completely different... The power required to fund such a tremendous feat is well beyond the bounds of anything of this earth. The spirit must be ripped from the body as it is changed, then shoved back into the new shape. If one isn't careful, the spirit could be lost to the nether if not properly tethered during the transfer." Jack glanced to his side towards the vast expanse of abyss, his eyes narrowing sightly. "Once a powerful being has initiated the transformation, nothing can stop them. They cannot stop the process even if they had second thoughts. Reverting one back to their original form requires the same powers."

"Is it possible to mature the requited power over a period of time?" Emayla interjected, her impatience slightly rising as the risk of detection increased.

Jack's gaze immediately shifted back to her. "Mature?"

"Could you put a reserve of power inside a living being and allow it to build on its own?"

Jack's visage darkened. "Theoretically, perhaps. But the influx of power into a single, mortal being could cost the creature it's life, whether in the initial transfer, or in the later maturation."

A javelin found its way into Emayla's heart, images of the small Thomas passing unbidden in front of her eyes. "C-can the power be destroyed?"

Jack lowered his head. "I-"

The connection severed suddenly, slamming Emayla back into reality with a resounding bang. Her head swirled, her focus greatly dimmed. She shook her head slightly to clear her thoughts.

A second explosion ripped the basement lab, slamming Emayla and Kael back into the desks beyond. The impact of the wooden surface sent all air fleeing out the Pokemon trainer's lungs, causing her to cough and gasp for air. Jack cowered on the floor, his whimpers demolished by the resounding bangs.

Kael staggered to his feet against the motions of the blast, his paws illuminated by his aura, his fangs barred in defiance.

"Flame wheel."

An inferno of white hot fire exploded from the stairway, its roaring jaws enveloping the white Lucario with savage force, wrapping him in a burning barrier. The fire's touch stayed just beyond reach of Kael's vulnerable form, hardly harming him but keeping his attacks at bay.

"Kael!" Emayla called, rising to her feet, her hands already reaching for the Pokeballs clipped at her belt.

A heavy body heaved against her, sending the Pokemon trainer ramming against the floor. The Typhlosion growled in her ear, its flames burning fiercely on its back, it's fangs inches away from her neck, promising that it wouldn't hesitate to kill her if she moved.

"My debt it paid!"

Emayla's eyes narrowed in anger as she recognized the voice of Richard from deep within the stairway, his pleading tones slapping against her consciousness.

"I've paid my dues to you! I demand the reward be paid!"

"You'll get your 'reward'," A second voice commented dryly. "When the Masters decide."

A man stalked into the chamber before his words had dissipated against the stone walls, an air of superiority surrounding him as he moved. "Well done, Gambit." He commented to the snarling Typhlosion, eying the trapped Lucario with a steely glint in his eyes. "And Dagger thought we'd have difficulties with this one." Gambit grumbled his reply, his eyes never leaving his glaring captive.

The man smirked, smoothing out the wrinkles that had managed to find their way onto his uniform, allowing the red R emblazed on the front to stand out even more prominently. He easily walked across the room to the trapped trainer, the smell of arrogance cloying with Emayla's senses.

"And you must be the intrepid Emayla." He commented, stooping into a slight mocking bow. Subtly using his upward momentum, the Rocket agent drew out a shining gun, its shimmering barrel pointed directly at Emayla. "Now, be a good girl and do what I say. I don't want to have to explain to the Masters why your brains are part of this pathetic science experiment."

Gambit grudgingly rose from its threatening position at it's masters call, moving back around the Rocket agent to keep an eye on the furious Lucario.

Emayla slowly rose from the floor, her movements fluid and slow. She eyed the gun with a worried stare, knowing full well the potential behind the small metal object.

Dozens of footsteps echoed from the roof above and the stairs beyond, heralding the coming of several more denizens of Tirus. A steady stream of Rocket agents poured into the space behind the first, their eyes holding the same cold, apathetic stare, their own Pokemon tensed and ready to attack at the slightest of provocation.

The first glanced over his shoulder towards his reinforcements, a wicked smile stretching across his face. He motioned with his gun for Emayla to follow, Gambit following closely behind at his back, their worries towards Kael vanished at the sight of their allies.

Emayla glanced towards the swirling inferno that held her partner captive, her eyes trailing over the failures in the firey structure. Only a few moments of life remained for the wall of fire. Kael's eyes caught hers, a silent message traveling between the two. Kael lowered his in a pleading gesture, knowing what she was about to ask of him. Emayla replied with a subtle shake of her head, reinforcing the fact that they had run out of options.

"Hey!" The first called, obviously outraged at being ignored, if only for a moment. The gun rose to a threatening height, his finger tightening over the trigger.

The flame wheel vanished in a flicker of light, its fingers opening up to the power charging within.

"Aura sphere!" Emayla yelled, throwing herself down underneath one of the standing tables in a desperate attempt to escape the oncoming savagery.

Kael reared back on his paws, a mighty roar ripping from his throat. The blue light exploded from his paws, its percussive arms vaporizing anything within immediate proximity, the trailing fingers angrily burning into anything that dared stand too close.

Emayla reached forward in an attempt to further shield herself from the devastating attack, but as she did so, her table slipped from its standings by the sheer might of the aura sphere, exposing the trainer to the full power of the fires.

EC

Kael swooned forward slightly at the climax of his attack, the draw from his ferocious attack tremendous upon his body. Shaking his head to steady himself, Kael rose to his full extent to release the final throws of his aura sphere, blanketing the entire laboratory with an unearthly blue light.

The illumination slowly dissipated from the deadened room, dust pooling from the charred walls, leaving the chamber at the mercy of its natural, however dim, light. The white Lucario let his paws fall to his side, his arms temporarily deadened by the anger of his attack. The bodies of his enemies lay as charred husks at the far end of the room. Not a single one of them moved, smoke trailing slowly from their burnt flesh in a testament to their devastation.

Kael sighed, lowering his head in silent respect for the spirits of the departed. After a moments pause, his ears flicked to the side in worry at the absence of any other sounds. "Emayla?" He called quietly, his gaze slowly trailing over the decimated room.

No response came.

Fear slammed its oppressive grip on the white Lucario's heart. Kael rushed towards the spot where he had last seen his master, his pulse pounding in his ears. Several overturned tables, all severely burnt from his attack, lay piled in a heap at his destination. Throwing the splintering bark aside, Kael dug deeper into the wreckage, ignoring the gashes torn into his paws.

At the very bottom of the pile lay Emayla. The skin all along her side and back was burnt and bleeding. Her arms twisted at odd angles, both completely shattered. She lay there, unmoving, her posture indicative to the fact that all thirteen of the Pokeballs remained intact and undamaged.

Kael stooped down beside her, his paws hovering over her decimated body. "Emayla?" He whispered.

His heart nearly failed him when Kael saw Emayla slowly rise as she inhaled.

The Lucario carefully scooped her into his arms, a tormented gaze following her agonized movements as her wounds were inevitably aggravated.

Kael couldn't see Jack or his traitorous brother, but he didn't bother to care, all his attention focused on his master. He slowly padded out of the destroyed lab, skirting over the blackened bodies of his enemies without a passing thought, determined to get Emayla to the hospital before her time ran out.

EC

Emayla blinked slowly in the soft light, her eyes adjusting to the gentle glow that quietly flowed in from the window. She didn't recognize the room she now occupied, but she strangely wasn't worried. The very air in the polished chamber had a breath of serenity to it, calming her before fear even had the chance to rear its ugly head. A soft whispering issued from all around her, speaking in gentle murmurs of peace and healing.

Emayla attempted to shift around to catch a better glimpse of her surroundings, but was stopped by a gentle tugging on her elbow. She glanced downwards with a curious glint in her eyes. Her eyebrows shot up on her forehead in surprise as she found a small, clear tube penetrating her skin, small drips of liquid trailing down into her veins. Not only that, but her entire body was covered in thick bandages, rendering her almost completely immobile. Pain slowly began to creep into her consciousness, its touch returning with vigor after having been suppressed by the medicines. Emayla cringed as she once again felt the sting from Kael's powerful attack.

The soft ticking of the clock on the far wall slowly gave an indicator of time, slowly throwing the Pokemon trainer into a sleepy daze. Her eyes subtly closed a few times, though Emayla stubbornly kept herself awake, waiting for someone to come and explain where she was.

Footsteps echoed loudly in the silent hall beyond her whitewashed door. Through the semi-transparent window Emayla could see a faint, human outline, easily allowing the assumption that a doctor had come to check on her. Her question immediately died in her throat as the man entered the room, however, shivers crawling up her spine.

Tirus easily stepped over the threshold of the door, gently closing it behind him without making a sound. He smiled gently at the immobilized trainer, unclasping the white coat from his neck as he moved towards the desk at the far end of the room. Still he said nothing as the coat was laid down neatly onto the top of the desk, a clipboard placed squarely on top the fabric. Running his fingers through his dark hair, Tirus turned lightly on the spot, holding Emayla's gaze with his thirsty red eyes.

"Amarri," He began, his arms spread out on either side in a gesture of goodwill. "It is so good to see you again." Tirus took a step towards her. "I've missed you so."

"Stay back!" Emayla called with as much force as she could muster, her side aching from the effort. "Don't you come near me!"

Tirus stopped at her bidding, his arms falling to his side. His face never lost its gentle caress. He waited patiently for Emayla to make the next move. Several moments ticked by in silence, neither opponent gaining any leeway in the others eyes. Tirus sighed. "I came here to see you, dearest Amarri. I heard about your incident in the outer reaches of Pewter, and I came to see if you were alright."

Emayla scoffed at his notions. "Those men that attacked us belong to your cult, Tirus. 'See if I'm alright'? You were probably the one behind the whole incident."

Tirus' face darkened momentarily, but he quickly caught himself, replacing the glare with his calming smile. "I'm afraid you are mistaken, my love." He took another step forwards, his hands still pointed downwards. "Kyron controls most of the outer fleets. The attack was his call."

Emayla's scowl deepened.

"Believe me, Amarri. I don't wish any harm upon you." Tirus was merely a foot away now, his bloody eyes burning Emayla. "Kyron is..." He paused. "Rather enjoying his time as a human. He's beginning to try anything to remain that way."

"Go back," Emayla growled. "Go back to the pit that you crawled out from."

Tirus did not relent. He stopped at the head of her bed, bending down to make his face level with hers. "I have ever desired for things to be as they were." He whispered. "Ever since the Fall I have sought a way to retain our former lives." Tirus inched forward, a small smile curving up his face as Emayla offered no resistance. "I have come so close. I am almost to the solution." He stopped mere centimeters away, his breath fanning her face. "Everything will be as it was."

Emayla's arm lurched forward, her burnt and bandaged hand gripping Tirus tightly around his neck. She tightened her grip, causing Tirus' breath to stop short. "Nothing can ever be the same." She snarled, her blood-red eyes flaring with an inner fury. "Nothing."

Tirus sighed, his eyes downcast. Without a word, his shape suddenly vaporized, leaving Emayla clutching the empty air.

Pain lanced up her arm with sudden ferocity, causing the Pokemon trainer to cry out in pain, her hand falling heavily back against the bed. Biting her lip to fight the moisture brimming in her eyes, Emayla looked away from the spot Tirus has occupied, silently fuming. "Nothing can ever be the same, Tirus." She repeated, her gaze trailing off to the small trails of light coming from the glimmering window, the ticking of the clock continuing in the background.


	8. Rejuvenation

Okay. I lied. The fact is that I have too much homework and not enough free time. I'm swamped with the constant onslaught of assignments and requests, and a once a week update is a bit much to uphold. I've had to replace quality with quantity. Retribution won't be regularly updated every week; I hope to get a chapter done every other week, but that plan may be shot too. I sincerely apologize to my readers; I'm afraid that's the best I can do.

This is the shortest chapter I've written thus far; a result of my hurry to get it done on time.

On a happier note; Thanks to all my wonderful reviewers: Twilight - The Moon Spirit, bobdaduck, Galalithial, and Laci Cullen! I'm truly honored!

I'm still accepting OCs for Retribution, in case anyone is interested.

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Chapter 8

Rejuvenation

Kael shouldered the light pack quietly, his eyes downcast as the dawn peaked over the horizon. Double checking the straps that kept his pack secure, the white Lucario glanced over his shoulder towards the door at the end of the stark white hallway, his eyes inevitably drawn towards the window in hopes of seeing what was inside. He sighed, lowering his gaze at the inevitability of it all.

"Leaving already?"

Kael's ears perked upwards towards the voice, his eyes quickly following suit.

Syhn leaned easily against the wall, his green scales casting a stark line against the gentle white wallpaper. The Sceptile eyed Kael's pack with a scrutinizing gaze, his arms folded lightly across his chest in a gesture of goodwill. Tilting his regal head upwards, Syhn cast his yellow eyes down towards the room that held their master, a small smile trailing up his features. "Neine has arrived." He announced calmly, scratching his arm absentmindedly with his claws. "With her abilities and the human doctors' help, Emayla will be well enough to travel within the week."

Kael answered with a slight grin of his own, but it quickly disappeared as the weight of his mission once again dropped upon his shoulders. "I have no doubts that you and Neine will do an admirable job. Neine's natural gifts as a Meganium are certainly no laughing matter. But," Kael paused, shifting the weight of his pack around in thought. "There is something I must do. It cannot wait until the lady Emayla is well again."

Syhn cocked his head at this notion, but he did not press the subject. "Emayla will not be pleased by your absence, brother."

Kael chuckled. "I know." The two friends stood in silence for a moment, each dwelling in their own private thoughts. The rising of the morning sun tipped into the window, bathing Kael's fur in a halo of golden light. The Lucario sighed, closing his eyes for a moment, allowing the sun's gentle touch warm his tensed body. "When I'm gone, I trust the safety of lady Emayla to you, Syhn." Kael murmured, his eyes still closed in pleasure.

"I will do my best, brother." Syhn replied evenly.

Kael smiled. His red eyes opened slowly. "Also, have Skye scout around the town. Rowell and Keiva have taken Thomas to the outskirts of Pewter to teach him how to use his powers. I don't know when they will be back, but it's best that you know beforehand." Syhn nodded. "And, brother," Kael continued, his tone growing serious. "Keep and eye out for Xavier. He still hasn't come back from his task in Viridian. He's always been a willful Charizard; I'll give him that, but something amiss has been plaguing the world of late. We need to know what happened to him."

Syhn's scowl darkened at the mention of Xavier, but he nodded in agreement. "I'll send word out to Alithe to keep an eye out for him. If anyone knows where he'd be, it would be her."

Kael smiled once again. Reaching up with his black paw, the Lucario gripped Syhn's raised forearm in farewell. The two broke contact within the moment, allowing Kael to turn on his heel, and walk down the hallway to the elevator beyond. "I'll be back in a few days." He stated solemnly as the electric doors to the elevator swung open to allow him admittance. Slowly the red gaze of the white Lucario disappeared behind the sliding grates of the elevator, revealing the worry within to the knowing Sceptile.

"Be safe, brother," Syhn called as the doors shut. "And may the winds be at your back."

EC

Thomas cried out in surprise as the angry form of Keiva appeared to his right, her massive paw slamming hard into the tiny Pichu, causing him to spiral backwards in the dirt. Tumbling end over end, he skidded across the dusty earth, his paws scrambling with every movement to try and halt his momentum. He came to a skidding halt several feet away from his starting point, his normally bright yellow fur blackened with sweat and dirt. Tear spilled down his cheeks, splashing onto the baked earth below with subdued vigor. Thomas coughed several times in an attempt to clear his lungs of the dust that wafted up his nose.

"You're still not paying close enough attention!" Keiva growled, her teeth barred in frustration.

Thomas lifted his small head, his eyes misted over in pain and humiliation. Their battleground stood in hazy confusion past his gaze, its featureless, flat expanse hardly registering in his mind. Off in the distance he could see Rowell, the Ampharos standing utterly still, his paws raised slightly in the air as he waited. The far mountains that held Pewter city looked like the remnants of a far off dream, their glittering arms shining bravely in the sun. A flock of Spearow cawed overhead, their dark wings causing a deep blot on the clear blue sky, their confidence instilled by their sheer numbers.

Keiva's snarl snapped Thomas back to his battle, his head swerving around in time to see the Luxray's electrically charged paw ram into his stomach.

The Pichu crumpled forward in agony as the electricity surged through his body, his shoulders shaking with sobs.

Keiva's tail flared angrily with suppressed energy. With a toss of her head, she stalked back across the battlefield, placing several feet between her and the defeated Pichu. "Get up!" She commanded.

Thomas wearily placed his paws on the earth below, pushing up with all his might to raise his weakened body to a standing position. He swayed slightly as he attempted to balance himself, his small black tail flaring out behind him to keep him aloft. Eyes still glistening with tears, Thomas stared forward at his teacher.

Smirking, the Luxray crouched down, her shoulders bulging as she stalked to the side. Her tail flicked slightly, indicating her next move. Keiva's ears twitched, then suddenly she sprang forward, her sheathed claws giving off several sparks.

Thomas tried to twist away, but his movements were too slow in comparison to the battle hardened Luxray. As he started his body along the trows of a dodge, Keiva's paw caught onto his shoulder, locking the Pichu in place. Once again the punishing electricity coursed through his body, its touch as unforgiving as the last time. Thomas let out a tiny whimper, unable to summon more than a whisper to declare his pain.

Keiva roared in frustration as her student once again buckled forward in agony. She snapped backwards, her now revealed claws digging deep ruts into the dirt. "What do you think you're doing?" She snarled. "You're an electric Pokemon!"

Thomas lifted his head slightly, her words slapping hard against his consciousness.

"I have already told you a dozen times; you can absorb my attacks!"

Thomas blinked in confusion at her declaration, his mind still hazy. He gazed up at the fuming Luxray for an answer.

Keiva growled. "Rowell has taught you how to control your abilities, right?" The Pichu nodded. "Instead of allowing my attack to simply maul you from the inside out, _direct it!_"

Thomas paused for a moment, thinking to his lesson from earlier that day. Memories of the controlled energy surged through his mind at his call, reminding the Pichu of his potential. He nodded again, his eyes flickering with understanding.

"All power needs a direction," Keiva continued, her rage slightly abated at Thomas' recognition. "As an electric Pokemon, you have the ability to guide, and create, electricity. Since you're still a Pichu, you couldn't even make enough volts to charge a light bulb. Take my attacks and direct them in your body. Store them!" Keiva crouched down again, her claws once again sheathed, her veins tingling with her inner power. "Get ready!" She snarled, her usual roughness easily returned.

Thomas mimicked her, determined to make his teacher proud. The Luxray wrapped around to his side, her eyes following his every movement, waiting for the right time to strike. The Pichu shifted his weight on his paws, slowing his momentum down. Keiva exploded forward, her paws outstretched.

At the initial contact, Thomas felt the now familiar burst of pain. Ignoring the discomfort, he directed the powers along his inner funnels of energy, allowing the electricity to be absorbed by the pouches on his cheeks. The electricity readily obliged, all traces of its destructive path dissipated from his body.

Keiva stood back, her maw pulled into a rare smile. "Good job."

-Later that same evening-

Thomas took a final bite on his oran berry, swallowing the rejuvenating fruit with a rapturous expression on his face. He leaned back slightly, feeling the warm fur of Rowell behind him.

The Ampharos glanced down with a smile on his lips. "You did well today, Thomas."

Thomas grinned up at the older Pokemon, the blue juices from his dinner still splashed across his face.

The day waned slowly into night, the moon peaking over the far peaks of the distant Mt. Moon. Stars began their ascent in the sky, their arms bleaching the darkening heavens. Shadows slowly crept across the valley, their reaches expanding rapidly as the day came to a close. The day-roving Pokemon crept down into their homes, falling asleep easily in anticipation for the new day, allowing the nocturnal Pokemon free reign. Murkrow rose from their daily hovels to start their nightly routines, their calls reverberating across the rocky landscape. A lone Lunatone breached the sky, its crescent shape misleading in the heavens against the brilliant moon. An Aggron lifted its massive head from its nest, its bellow carrying far. Wormdam crawled out from the dust, their bodies covered in a new layer of protective earth.

Thomas yawned slightly, his eyes half-closed.

"Don't fall asleep yet, Thomas," Rowell said, a laugh trailing his voice. He playfully ruffled the Pichu's fur, the light emanating from his tail glowing brighter. "I have a surprise to show you."

Thomas' ears perked upwards, his eyes widening in wonder. "Surprise?"

Rowell chuckled. "Yes. But you have to wait until Keiva gets back."

Thomas nodded excitedly, his gaze immediately trailing out to the arid landscape beyond, searching wildly for any sign of the savage Luxray. His small, black tail wagged in joy.

Rowell smiled again, shaking his head in amusement.

An hour passed slowly, Thomas' eyes once again dropping in the first trows of sleep. The Pichu angrily shook himself to stay awake, determined to see the surprise that Rowell had promised. His endurance was rewarded, however, as Keiva came trotting easily into the pool of light given off of Rowell's tail. The Luxray tossed her head in greeting.

"They're coming." She simply stated.

Rowell smiled. "Good." He stood, the sudden absence of his presence causing Thomas to topple backwards into the dirt.

The Pichu hastily picked himself up, hardly bothering to shake the loose earth from his fur. He gazed expectantly at his two guardians, his face pulled into a wide smile.

Rowell bent down, laughing, scooping Thomas lightly up into the air, and placing him onto his shoulder. "Get ready." He whispered.

Thomas held tightly onto Rowell's ear, looking around in slight confusion. "What-?" His words died in his throat as a light rose on the horizon.

Rowell dimmed his own light as the spectacle rose into the heavens, sharing an amused glance with Keiva as Thomas was rendered speechless.

Hundreds of thousands of individual lights rose into the sky, their flickering dance covering the land like stars. Volbeat and Illumise tickled the air with their lights, twirling about one another with practiced grace. Each light held a different shade of colors, the sheer variety of pigments painting a picture across the sky.

Several of the blue lights rose higher than the others, their shining message pulling above the rest like a celestial string. Different shades of green followed suit, their own colors intermingling with the blues to form completely different colors as they occasionally overlapped; not a single color matched. The Volbeat that gave off reddish hues circles around the teal variations, forming several rings around the first, their flight mimicked by yellows on the other side of the circle. Soon the frenzied flights of the Pokemon mixed in shades, the different colors merging into a single, brilliant white light.

"Woah." Thomas whispered, the lights of a thousand bug Pokemon reflected on his small eyes.

EC

Blackfire tightened the ropes of his trap, grunting with effort as he shouldered his pile of firewood with his other hand. His various cuts and scrapes still bled as he worked, but the stubborn deserter continued his tasks with a grim mask set upon his face.

With a satisfied grunt, he pulled away from his snare, his eyes trailing around the ravaged remains of the Viridian forest. The blasted trees stood weakly in the night air, their blackened trunks bleeding sap from the agony of their destruction. The proud undergrowth that had once blanketed the forest floor was no longer in existence, leaving the charred dirt exposed to the unforgiving elements. No Pokemon whispered in the darkness; nothing existed in the blasted land.

Blackfire stood, his knees popping from over an hour of forced servitude. He stretched his back freely, sighing with relief as he heard several pops issue from his spine. Carefully picking his way around the myriad of traps he had set, Blackfire trotted back to his temporary shelter with his ample supply of firewood in hand. As he twisted around the multitude of destroyed trees, something whispered off to his right. He cast a casual glance towards the disturbance's way, unsure if it was a passive or dangerous Pokemon; either way, he didn't want to scare it off before it had a chance to get entangled in one of his traps.

Sure that he could tackle whatever dared challenge him, Blackfire strode easily away, his back exposed to engage a challenge.

Nothing presented itself. The former Rocket lieutenant made it back to his camp quite unharmed, much to his displeasure. Creed weakly lifted his head at the approach of his master, letting out a faint welcoming bark as the human came into view. The Houndoom's tail thumped on the ground a few times before he was forced to lay it back down, the draw on his weakened reserves of energy too much to maintain.

Blackfire tossed the firewood to the side, skirting around the small fire to the side of his wounded Pokemon. Not wanting to take the chance in Viridian now that he had no faction on his side, the former Rocket lieutenant had fled to the deep recesses of the woods he had destroyed before Creed had fully healed. Now, three days out without medical supplies and decent food, Creed was beginning to falter. The once proud Houndoom now lay in an improvised bed of Blackfire's own making, his festering wounds leaking blood and puss with every breath.

Not even having made it halfway through the blasted forest, Blackfire was forced to stop to tend to his dieing partner. Flood was safely tucked away inside his own Pokeball, his condition kept stable by the intricacies of the machine, but Creed lacked salvation. Creed's Pokeball had been destroyed years ago. The Houndoom let out a pathetic whine as Blackfire tried futilely to clean the infected wounds.

Blackfire snarled in frustration. Though he had managed to find a decent supply of water, his food reserves of surviving berries was running low. If his traps didn't manage to catch them anything, then Creed didn't stand a chance. But nothing lived in this forest; not anymore. Blackfire had made sure of that.

Even as he stewed in his own misfortunes, a scream ripped into the still air, causing both partners to freeze in anticipation, their ears trained towards the direction of the voice. Several moments went by without a whisper, then the air was once again filled with a terrified moan. Grinning, Blackfire rose from his crouch, kicking more wood onto the fire to keep Creed warm.

"I'll be back," He growled, taking his knife in hand.

EC

Kyron slipped down the side hallways of the castle, his back firmly pasted to the stone walls as he moved. The narrow channels twisted around every room, a subtle breeze passing along the primitive air-conditioning system; the sounds coming from the heart of the building easily masked Kyron's passing. He ducked over a support beam swiftly, his plumed hat brushing madly across the stone in his haste. Tirus was a fool to doubt his plans.

Kyron came to a sudden halt at a thick wall, the unyielding surface stating the end of the journey to a casual passerby. Smirking, he trailed his fingers along the stones in a intricate pattern, his thumb and forefinger coming to a slight halt just centimeters above his eyes. A thin tail of light opened in between his two fingers, gradually opening up into a simple archway, the darkness beyond revealing nothing of the intricacies beyond. He took a single step into the shadows, halting for a fraction of a second as he pondered over the implications of his anticipated actions. With a confident snort, Kyron slipped in the abyss beyond, his form enveloped by an even darker force.

The floor vanished from beneath his feet, leaving the conniving man floating in mid-air, his arms sprawled out on either side of him. Kyron closed his bloody eyes, lifting his face towards the hidden heavens. Slowly he fell, twisting deftly in the swirling darkness with his descent. A gentle, warm breeze twitched against him, halting for a moment before whirling by again; the breath of a great beast warming his body.

The earthy floor subtly halted his movements, the weightlessness of his descent vanishing with the blink of his thirsty eyes.

Kyron tugged absentmindedly on the sleeve of his garment, his eyes not yet accustomed to the din; a sign he was not welcome. Not yet.

Swooping his hat off his head, Kyron bent into a deep bow, his mouth pulled into a wicked smile. "Salutations, Ghethar."

A guttural growl reverberated from the very heart of the darkness. The heat level in the chamber rose drastically, sending Kyron's hair into a flurry above his head. "You..."

The clever man straightened his posture, returning his hat to its position on his head. He leaned back on his heels, clasping his gloved hands behind his back. "Yes. Me." He paused for a moment as the growl grew in savagery, his smirk trailing up farther his visage. He continued his bravado as the echoes died down. "Ghethar, I have another job for you."

"No more." Ghethar snarled, the deep tones of his voice ripping into Kyron's very soul. "I have repaid my debts."

Kyron tilted back his head, letting out a chilling laugh. Ghethar's own murmurings were silenced by the sheer power of his voice. "No. Never shall we be equal, my friend." Kyron lowered his gaze, staring hard into the inky darkness. His red eyes narrowed in enjoyment.

Ghethar snarled once more, but said nothing.

Kyron grinned. "It's very simple, you see." His head shifted forwards. "Eliminate Amarri."

EC

Kael glanced over his shoulder towards the fading city of Pewter, his eyes narrowing in despair. Exodus powered over the rough terrain, his hooves pounding deep grooves into the earth. The white Lucario eased back, his motions matching that of his steed to keep his balance on the saddle. He clutched a single paw to his chest, gripping tightly to the smooth sphere. His own Pokeball gleamed in the evening light, the shining red surface reflected in his eyes.

Mt. Moon rose slowly over the horizon, its gigantic, hulking shape casting a jagged shadow across the sky. Kael eyed the highest peak with a worried glance.

He needed to know.


	9. Indebted

I'm still alive! The long drought was school's fault. Being a senior isn't all its cracked up to be. But, I'm back! And hopefully updates will occur a little more often than once a month.

Once again; a big thanks to bobdaduck, Twilight- The Moon Spirit, and Galalithial for their continued support and reviews!

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Chapter 9

Indebted

Kael pulled Exodus to a halt, his red eyes slowly trailing to the far reaching peaks of Mt. Moon. The white fur lacing the back of his neck rose to an intangible energy, sending chills down the Lucario's spine. The reigns slackened as he slid off the side of the quavering saddle, his paws lightly touching the dusty earth. Exodus tossed his head in worry, his dark eyes rolling backwards, his ears flattening against his head.

"There's definitely a Gathering Point beyond there." Exodus murmured, pawing the hardened turf uneasily with his crystalline hooves. "I can sense the energy beyond." The Rapidash cocked a single eye Kael's way, his nostrils flaring. "You must have felt the powers long before this point."

Kael sighed softly. "Indeed. The Gathering Point here in Mt. Moon isn't a close guarded secret as was the Grove inside Viridian forest. The caretakers here depend on the sheer insurmountable capabilities of the mountain to safeguard their sacred treasures. Their pride will lead to their downfall."

Exodus snorted in agreement.

Kael reached into his meager bag of supplies, his paw clasped around the sphere that would encase the nervous Rapidash.

"No," Exodus interjected, twisting his shoulders around in a single movement to place himself before the mountain and the Lucario. "Don't withdraw me; not yet. It's better if I wait out here." The Rapidash tossed his head out towards the stilled land beyond. "Lady Emayla may be on her way here right now."

Kael smirked, folding his arms across his chest in disbelief.

Exodus replied with a grin of his own. "Don't deny it, Kael. You know she won't be happy to hear about your unexpected trip; she's probably strapped herself to Pyre with the bed sheets, her I.V. dangling behind her as she runs."

"I trust Syhn to keep her save."

"Not unless she escaped." When Kael didn't relieve his stubborn position, Exodus lowered his head, laughing. "Fine. There's no way she could have escaped." He agreed, a light dancing in his eyes. "But, please, just grant me this time to run around for a bit. I know that I'm only kept in the Pokeball as a convenience, and that my... Erm..." Exodus paused, shuffling a hoof along the dirt in slight embarrassment. "My cowardice would only get in the way. But, seeing as how you won't need my help in there..."

Kael smiled. The white Lucario gently gripped the bridle of the subdued Rapidash, shaking Exodus' head back and forth a few times in play, before slipping the leather off his long head. Exodus lifted his mighty maw to the heavens, stretching out his jaw. Kael quickly untied the buckles along the Rapidash's side, loosing the oppressive knots with practiced ease, allowing the large seat to simply fall to the sun baked earth as the larger Pokemon inhaled.

"Ah," Exodus murmured, closing his eyes for a moment in rapture. With a subtle grin, the Rapidash tossed his head into the air, lifting his front hooves entirely off the ground as he reared up, his legs flailing madly in the air.

"Now, Exodus," Kael called over the noises of the Rapidash's exuberance, the bridle still clasped in his paw. "Keep in sight of the mountain. I don't know how long I'll be in there, hopefully no more than a few hours, but I need you to be ready when I return. Also," Kael reached down and deftly scooped up the saddle with his other paw. "Find a place to put these. Somewhere close, preferably, and out of sight."

Exodus nodded, bending down slightly to allow the Lucario to loosely place the objects on his powerful back. With a parting neigh, the fiery Pokemon turned eagerly on his hooves, blasting away with a single swish of his blazing tail.

Kael stood silently for a moment, allowing the buffets caused by the parting Pokemon to whip his fur wildly into the air. The clouds gently passed by overhead, their long arms casting deep shadows across the silent land. The dusty landscape stretched on for miles and miles; the far reaching town of Pewter lost among the vastness of the plain. Few Pokemon dared tread so close to a Gathering Point unless welcomed, leaving the air in a hushed state. With a subdued sigh, Kael twisted lightly to face to oppressive might of Mt. Moon.

The gaping maw of the mountain swallowed the white Lucario slowly as he carefully entered its depths, his left paw lifted upwards to allow an aura sphere of illumination decorate the cavern with shifting lights. Every step he took echoed loudly against the spacious walls of the cave, unnerving the Pokemon. He glanced backwards towards the shrinking exit as he delved deeper into the heart of the mountain, a deep sense of foreboding traveling rapidly up his spine. His eyes narrowed as the din grew more intense, a supernatural light blocking out the usually grand fingers of his aura sphere. The stalagmites rose in peculiar patterns around the edges of the cave, their fangs reaching to the verge of the cave, but never quite touching the crumbling roof. The center of the cave wove on in an unbroken wave, cleared long ago of all obstacles by some massive power. Zubat occasionally broke the din with a ferocious screech, diving past Kael in hurried formations, their wings barely an inch away from the white Lucario. The air grew progressively colder and damper, its obscuring fingers clutching heavily to Kael's lungs, causing him to gasp with every breath, small plumes of mist issuing from his throat every time he did so.

The passageway gradually leaned towards his left, rising slowly upwards as it swerved. The decorative stalagmites grew more sparse the farther he walked, soon giving way to a blank expanse of passageway delving deep into the heart of the mountain. He could hear Pokemon whispering along the lengths of the hallway, but he never caught a glimpse of their shadowy forms; he traveled alone.

The tunnel suddenly opened into a large chamber, branching off in five different directions. Each tunnel look deceptively like the rest, leading in a straight line away from their entry points, giving no hints to where they may lead. Kael rolled his shoulders to ease his cold, tensed muscles, padding lightly to the second door to his left, knowing from experience that this was the correct arch.

Almost immediately after he passed the threshold of the door the passageway changed, twisting rapidly upwards in a vast stairway, vanishing into the darkness beyond the reach of Kael's light. The white Lucario climbed slowly, carefully keeping his footing on the precarious perch with each step. The stones beneath his feet were slick with ice, threatening to send him barreling over the edge at the slightest mistake.

At the farthest reaches of the stairway stood a door. No intricate designs spotted its surface. No oddities gave hint to what was behind its depths. Kael regretfully reached for the stone handle, his ears folded back in anger. He needed to speak with Arceus. He had to know.

But, despite his obvious need, Kael hated asking favors from Deoxys.

EC

Kyron leaned back against the soft seat of his limousine. The long, black car sped rapidly past a myriad of untouched countryside, its form barely a shadow against the large backdrop of land. The quite engine added no noise to the overall silence of the fields, its quite hum dying into the background of drowning Pokemon bellows. The long power lines that laced the edges of the road rose and fell slowly with the waves of the land, their long fingers tickling the edge of the sky.

Kyron slipped his probing fingers into a basin of chilled water, swirling the liquid around absentmindedly as he searched for his quarry. The freezing Cherubi screeched wildly as his grasp wandered near them. They scurried along the edges of the basin in a frantic attempt to escape his wrath, ramming into one another in their terror. His merciless grip latched onto a large, squealing Cherubi, his nails puncturing into its thin, pink skin. Kyron gazed at it with an apathetic glare, twirling its plump body around without interest. With a subtle glint in his eye, he bit savagely into the side of the cherry Pokemon. The Cherubi went limp as Kyron chewed thoughtfully.

"What purposes does the target serve to our organization?" Kyron asked again, his gaze flickering to the man seated opposite of him. The Rocket agent tensed as his leader addressed him, his muscles twitching in worry, causing Kyron to grin.

The man cleared his throat several times before he could speak, sweat rapidly growing on his brow. "W-well," He began, fidgeting with his fingers on his lap. "He has abilities quite unlike... Unlike any we've seen."

"Is that so?" Kyron retorted, smirking as his subordinates cowered back against their seats at his words. Popping the rest of the dripping Cherubi into his mouth with a satisfied crunch, Kyron turned his attention to the slowing landscape, indicating that they had finally reached their destination. His patience would soon pay off.

As predicted, the limousine slowed to a gentle stop, its tires crunching lightly on a graveled path underfoot.

Kyron waited, his arms lightly folded across his chest, his complementary plumed hat already placed atop his head. He could hear the others in the car scramble to their positions, relishing in the sheer panic of their movements, but he didn't bother cast his glance away from the stagnant countryside. The door clicked open, sliding past his view quickly, allowing the gaping hole to emerge for the cunning man to exit through. Kyron readily obliged, grinning wickedly at the agents that dared look his way.

The gravel roadway, coated on either side by a wall of congested trees, ended rather abruptly at a concrete building that ran longer than it was tall. The slanted steel roof sagged heavily inwards, indicating at years of neglect. Ivy crept along the corners of the structure, seeking any hold upon the unyielding surface.

A long line of Rocket grunts shielded the entrance of the only door with their bulk, their grim faces all set upon their singular task. Pokemon of varying shapes and sizes milled about their master's ankles, their snarling visages keeping one another in line.

Kyron slipped out of the warm limousine into the chilled air, his feet crunching heavily on the gravel below, his breath sending a puff of mist out into the skies. He walked forward slowly, savoring every worried glance that was shot his way, glancing behind him to smirk at his former escorts with his trademark grin.

He proceeded onwards to the mouth of the building, his gloved hands barely passing over the pearly surface of the door before it opened rapidly for his coming. A sudden onrush of air swept past the cunning man, sending the feather on his plumed hat into a frenzied dance above his head. Kyron eased back on his heels as his bloody eyes inhaled the view from within the building, his arms clasped lightly behind his back. The moody light from within cast flickering shadows across his face.

His boots clicked loudly on the steel surface of the improvised floor, the echoes of his passing reverberating off every orifice. The loose fabric of his garments swished ominously, his rather small form seeming to take up more and more space of the scant building. Those few elect Rocket grunts that had managed to score a position in the heart of the delicate operation hastily got out of Kyron's way, scrambling over one another in their desperation to avoid causing the Master displeasure. The dying lights flickered overhead at his passing, his movements no more than a consort of the shadows.

Kyron's path ended abruptly at a steel box. Sides reaching all the way to the roof, the box stood as a massive monolith of protection, the only entrance and exit taking place as a thin door at its front. The insurmountable cage had only four airways, each taking form of small holes at the verge of the box. A single man stood guard at the entrance, a single key dangling from a thick chain wrapped around his neck. With a single gesture from Kyron, the man hastened to insert the iron key into the slot at the front of the door. A small click echoed from inside, and the five inch thick door swung slowly outwards to reveal the prisoner within.

Kyron scoffed at the young man tied to the single chair. "This is what all the fuss was about?" He questioned, glancing towards the cowering Rocket agents beyond. "He's a mere child!"

"W-well, not t-t-technically, sir." A subordinate stammered, holding a rather rickety clipboard in both sweaty hands. "H-he's 18, a-as far as we c-can tell."

Kyron raised a single eyebrow.

The man slunk farther into the din of the building, lifting the insignificant piece of thin wood in a gesture of protection.

Laughing, Kyron shifted his attention back to the boy. The prisoner lifted his blood smeared head to gaze at the merciless man, his indigo eyes prying for an answer. His shoulders rotated slightly as he attempted to relieve the pressure on his blood starved arms.

"What can he do?" Kyron asked simply, one hand reaching up to his plumed hat to pull it back into its proper position.

Another, braver, Rocket brute stepped forward from the group, his Aggron following closely behind with a limped gait. "He has innate restorative qualities." He began, drawing the attention of the bored Master. "The boy can concoct remedies that rival the healing properties of most potions."

"Oh, really?" Kyron retorted, slightly annoyed that this particular agent didn't cower in submission in his presence.

The man nodded, his guarded eyes traveling past Kyron to stare into the cell beyond. "And, the most astounding property by far, is his ability to heal Pokemon." The man paused, waiting for his Master of offer his complementary scoff. When Kyron remained silent, he continued. "Once a day, as far as our research shows. He even brought Fell back from the brink of death," He said, gesturing to the Aggron standing guard behind him.

Kyron offered no retort, his mind wheeling with the possibilities. Sweat gathered on his brow. His pulse quickened rapidly, causing the cunning man to gasp for air.

Tirus couldn't know about the child. If he discovered... Kyron's usual scowl returned. "Dispose of him." He snarled.

"But, sir?" The braver man asked, confused.

"Silence!" He roared, causing every underling inside the building to freeze. "Take the child away. Far away. This meeting never happened. If I find that one of you have told anyone, _anyone_ else about this, I will personally rip your heart out through your throat."

The building went deadly quiet.

Kyron smiled, his false grin a savage attempt to quell the panic that was slowly growing from within. He turned on his heel to face the youth. "Nothing personal, kid. But I can't allow you to jeopardize everything that I've worked eight thousand years to achieve."

Still the child didn't respond.

Kyron smirked, his emotions slowly regaining control. "Oh, come now? Don't you even know how to talk? This will be your last opportunity before you die, after all. Do you not have a name, little boy?"

"Felix," The prisoner slowly replied.

EC

Blackfire carefully picked his way over the fallen, charred logs that barred the way to his prize. The Stantler flailed madly against the ropes that held it in place, frantically trying to pry away towards the relative safety of the woods beyond, its antlers scraping away deep gouges into the sides of a nearby tree. The Pokemon tossed its proud head in agony, its leg spilling blood down onto the baked earth below from the newly opened wound.

The former rocket lieutenant crept around the edges of the trees, moving along with the currents of the wind to avoid detection. Carefully bypassing a litter of strewn twigs, Blackfire skirted around the Stantler, keeping his dirt smeared body close to the ground as he moved. The frightened Pokemon swerved its head towards the unknown threat, letting out a pleading bleat in a final attempt at salvation. With a smirk, Blackfire dove forward out from his cover directly towards the startled Stantler, his glittering dagger drawn in anticipation of the kill. The big horn Pokemon reared back as far as the restraints would allow, its sharp hooves flailing to keep the human at bay. Blackfire pulled back slightly to allow the Stantler's attack to wear out, waiting for an easy opening in the terrified Pokemon's defenses. His chance came not a moment later. As the Stantler was forced back to earth by the relentless force of gravity, the former Rocket lieutenant surged forward, his tiny dagger leading the way. Before it had time to react, the weapon had found a place inside its chest. The Stantler let out a startled gasp, life fleeing from its eyes, its muscles buckling under its weight as it died. Blackfire shifted his weight forward to catch the falling beast, ignoring the gushing tide of blood that doused his already destroyed clothing.

As the Stantler gave a final kick, the former Rocket lieutenant shouldered the massive body of hide and muscle, balancing its substantial weight on his broad shoulders, a smile finding its way onto his normally grim features. Creed would last another night.

EC

The Lopunny peered over the dying forms of the trees that offered her shelter, her small paws brushing the charred surface of the bark. She watched in mute fascination as the man carried the massive Stantler back to his suffering partner. The flame orb around her neck, a gift from her missing trainer, shimmered in the dim light of the dead forest.

As the man moved, the Lopunny kept several paces behind him, her ears perked forward to catch any words that he may deliver. She felt awful for not having assisted that Stanlter out of those traps, but if she was to find her trainer, that man had to survive. He wore the same garb as those who took her master away. His voice held the same arrogant mannerisms that haunted the vocals of those who stole her life. Only by his aid would her endeavors succeed. No matter what the cost, she would rescue Felix.

EC

Kael shuddered openly as the door swung open slowly, the freezing air rushing past him to the pinnacle stairway beyond. He could feel the atmosphere changing; feel the tangible energy of control that suddenly struck upon his will. The inner forces of Mt. Moon swept into motion, their many arms seeking to protect the secrets within.

Voice whispered in his head with surprising force, shoving doubts into his mind. They danced around his form, murmuring of his false hopes and his failed tasks. They probed his mind for his agonies; his inward trials that he dared not visit. The white Lucario saw with increasing clarity the faces of his family, all dead upon the floor by his own doing. He saw Emayla lying upon the charred battlefield, dying by his own attack. He could hear the voices screaming at his insignificance, seeking to tear him down to the seams. The cold air dropped suddenly to a bone chilling degree as the bombardment continued, freezing the stones on the wall instantly into a fine sheet of shimmering glass. The voices slowly gained shape in the cold, their smoky forms congealing into the tortured souls of Pokemon killed by his actions. He was a failure; an abomination. Doomed to forever destroy all the he worked to achieve. All his endeavors failed miserably, begging the question of his importance in this world. He fed off deceit and lies, trying to build a barrier around himself to supposedly protect those he loved. He was a monster.

Kael growled as the ghost Pokemon continued to bombard his consciousness with their lies. He would not be beaten down by their screeching gales. The transparent Pokemon let out a collective gasp as the white Lucario took a single step forward, his movements shuddering under the weight of his guilt. The necessity of his mission took hold, breaking away the thickening fingers of the dead Pokemon.

The short chamber yawned lazily to allow Kael admittance, the defeated wails rising in tempo from behind his retreating back.

His path led him down an increasingly narrow hallway, the air growing warmer and thicker with every step, congealing thickly into a mass of superheated smog as the white Lucario paused at the second door. The mist that drove the chill away from the dead slurped idly through the cracks in the wall, bathing the obelisk door in a halo of silver. Kael paused for a moment, his thoughts still collecting themselves. The defenses of Mt. Moon were designed to deter unworthy visitors by attacking their inner fears; by tearing them apart from the inside out. No physical entities would bar the way.

At least, none that he knew of.

Kael gently pushed the stone portal open, his ears perked forward as the rocks silently slid open to allow his admittance. The small stone room arched slowly overhead, the zenith hardly taller than the original apex of the roof. Broken chairs spanned the boundaries of the room, their shattered stone husks piling over one another in tempered forgiveness, their hardened tips hardly moved for decades. Worn tables and benches lay haphazardly in the corners. Molded sheets of worded paper coated the ground in a thin sheet of slime. A single pillar rose up in the center of the chamber, its perfectly smooth, shimmering sides reflecting the scenes around it with dark clarity. The white Lucario stared at the reflection of himself, his eyes narrowing as he saw his shape distorted in the otherwise clear image.

A lock clicked from somewhere around the pillar, causing Kael to freeze in anticipation, crouching down lower to the rocks in preparation for flight. A man came shuffling into view, his shape covered heavily by a thick, dark cloak, a brightly colored book in his hand. He wrapped around to the front of the pillar without even glancing towards the tensed Lucario, his hood obscuring all but his nose. With a sigh, the strange man plopped down at the base of the pillar, his book already opened to a specific page near the middle as he lifted it to cover his eyes.

Kael cocked his head slightly in confusion, having expected a challenge akin to the dead beyond the door. He took a single step forwards, an eye trained on the human as he moved. As the man did nothing, the white Lucario eased upwards into a standing position, still confused but hardly worried. Whoever this was apparently held no threat to him.

Kael padded lightly across the quick expanse of the antechamber, his ears twitching towards the center every time the man flipped a page. As he reached the far end, the white Lucario glanced back, his eyes widening in surprise.

A small Sableye skittered out from behind the reading human, its purple skin contrasting oddly to the grays and blacks of the stone lair. Its crystalline eyes glittered brightly in the light from Kael's aura bulb, a wicked grin trailing up its features. It crouched down, sniffing the rocks at the human's feet, scrabbling at the solid floor with its sharp claws. The purple head lifted slowly, pivoting on its neck as it rose to stare directly at the unnerved Lucario.

Without preamble, Kael slipped out of the pillared room, closing the second door rapidly behind him as he did so, silencing the dribbling noises that erupted from the crazed Sableye.

"Excuse me!"

The small, twittering voice startled Kael. The white Lucario stared downwards as a small Clefairy came trotting into view, a clipboard held tightly under her arm, a pen resting on her large ears. She stared haughtily back at the crimson gaze of the larger Pokemon, her free paw resting lightly on her hip, her lips pulled up into a scowl. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to see Deoxys," Kael responded with a growl, the mannerisms of the tiny Pokemon irking his already ravaged composition.

Swiveling her arm around to catch the clipboard in front of her, the Clefairy gazed down the single sheet of blank paper. "No, I'm afraid that you aren't on the list." Gripping the pen from off her ears, she tapped it lightly against her brow. "You can't simply walk in here and expect to enter the Lunar Hall without first setting up an appointment."

Would the strangeness of the mountain ever end? Kael sighed, clapping his paw over his eyes in frustration. "My mission is urgent. I don't have time to sit here and argue about etiquette with you."

"Well neither do I," The Clefairy responded with a huff. "A mountain this size doesn't run itself, you know!"

The two Pokemon stared at each other for several moments, the stone room lapsing into a dull silence as they eyed one another. Kael lifted his eyes slightly to gaze at the door beyond the indignant Clefairy. The Lunar Hall was beyond that door; Deoxys' lair was beyond that door. A communion with Arceus was a tall order to ask of anyone, even a Legendary, but Kael was in desperate need of answers. With an apologetic glance shot the Clefairy's way, Kael swerved around, his back right paw swinging freely in the air. The Clefairy connected to his paw with a startled gasp, her clipboard and pen flying out of her hand. The smaller Pokemon was sent whirling across the room, slamming hard with the stone wall on the opposite side as she stopped her crazed ascent. Before the Clefairy had time to regain herself, the white Lucario dashed through the unguarded door to the shimmering room beyond.

The door closed behind him on its own accord as he passed through its portal. Kael paused reverently in appreciation for the sacred ground he now stood upon, bowing his head in humility to the vast power he could feel beyond.

Before he could lift his gaze, however, a booming voice reverberated off of every glowing rock, slamming hard into Kael's consciousness with startling clarity.

"Kael," It roared. "Welcome back."

EC

Tirus glanced out the window of his indiscreet car, watching Kyron slip into the low building with a smirk trailing up his face. Spies within every network. His scouts had informed him of the prisoner within the building long before Kyron had even received word that something was wrong. Though the exact identity of the child was still unknown- his spies' informants had been mum on the subject-, if he was important enough to drive the second in command from their base in Saffron, then this matter was well worth looking into.

Tirus watched with narrowed eyes as Kyron slipped into the low building, his mannerisms telling the Master that he knew nothing of the second party's presence. Within only a few moments a shouting match ensued, followed by the prompt exit of the furious Kyron.

Slipping farther into the shadows of his own vehicle, Tirus eyed the building for long after Kyron had left, watching with interest at the collective movements of the Rocket grunts left behind. They swarmed in and out of the heart of the structure, taking ropes, chains, and various other objects of restraint in with them.

The sun had passed over its zenith when the Rocket agents finally revealed their labors. One by one they evacuated the building, dribbling behind them glistening lines of gasoline. After roping off the only door to prevent any possible means of escape, a single agent tossed a burning lighter into the building. With a savage roar, the flames burst into life inside the steel structure, their fingers reached maximum heat in a matter of seconds, causing the steel supports of the massive roof to shudder as they melted.

"Is that really the best they can do?" Tirus scoffed, watching as the flames coated the blue sky in a choking cloud of ash. With a lazy click, a Pokeball popped open in the confines of the car, Tirus' Dusknoir taking shape hastily in the din. "Equilibrium, if you will," Tirus asked, grinning as he waved his hands towards the melting building. The ghost Pokemon let out a hum of understanding. Slipping back against the steel of the door, the Dusknoir slipped into a corporeal state, its body melting into and out of the car as though it was water, its dark body taking shape on the far side of the metal vehicle. With a final bow to its waiting master, the ghost Pokemon slipped away into the belly of the inferno, headed directly towards the smoldering metal heart.

"Take the prisoner far away from here." Tirus murmured to the empty air, knowing full well his Pokemon could hear him. "Keep him outside of Kyron's sphere of influence."

Within moments a misshapen dark shape filtered out of the side of the crumbling structure, taking form slowly of the Dusknoir and a boy as the ghost Pokemon sought refuge from the searing heat. Into the skies the ghost Pokemon rose, its lifeless burden casting a dark blot against the wavering clouds of smoke.

Tirus grinned maliciously.

EC

"Is it really you, little Kael?" Deoxys rumbled, his form slowly taking shape on the roof of the glittering room. His wildly colored skin cast odd shadows against the glowing rocks that illuminated his chamber, causing the Legendary to look several feet larger than he really was. "I'm honored that the high and mighty white servant of Arceus would bother to visit my humble abode!" His mocking voice reverberated off of every angle, ripping deep into Kael's consciousness without room for salvation.

Deoxys floated lazily downwards, twisting around in the air as he did so to gain the best angle of advantage when facing the smaller Lucario. "Why have you come here, little one?" He whispered, his eyes narrowing dangerously. "Being an archangel of the Lord no longer comes with special privileges?" Kael returned the glare with a murderous stare of his own, causing the Legendary to chuckle in amusement. "Or, perhaps, you have fallen out of his favor?"

"Thats enough, Deoxys." Kael snapped, his emotions already cut short by his ordeal in the mountain. "I seek a simple communion. That's all."

"That's all?" Deoxys repeated, sneering. "Perhaps you have forgotten the immense power required to summon an audience of the Lord? Perhaps you have forgotten that this power comes with a price?"

"Don't patronize me, Deoxys." Kael growled. "I know that Arceus has set aside a store of power for when his servants seek a communion."

Deoxys' interweaving arms crossed lightly in front of his jeweled chest, causing the lights of the chamber to dim in response. "Perhaps," He mused, a steely glint forming behind his eyes. "Perhaps."

A silence engulfed the two, causing the very air around the room to sputter and die, an absolute quiet surrounding the Pokemon. Deoxys raised one of his arms, causing a platform to appear in the center of the room. The simple stone dais rose slowly into the multicolored air, its simplicity giving way in an immense aura of power. Kael eyed the floating Pokemon suspiciously.

Deoxys lowered himself to the ground, his feet touching the floor without even the slightest hint of sound. "If I were to allow this communion to commence," He drawled, lazily leaning backwards against the air. "The draw on my own power reserves would be absolutely tremendous. The defenses around Mt. Moon would whither and possibly fail." Deoxys paused, allowing a thick tension to coat the room. "Unless, of course, there was another source…"

"No," Kael interjected, his mind easily connecting to what the Legendary was inferring. "The child is not part of any bargain."

"Oh, but it would only be a small portion of his immense supply. Surely he wouldn't notice if a bit was missing?"

"Maybe he wouldn't," Kael stated. "But even the slightest shift of power could cause catastrophic failure. Even simply scraping the surface of his power could kill him!"

"Only the more reason to explore such a daunting possibility!" Deoxys argued, a fire raging behind his normally placid eyes. "If that child holds enough power to change the alterations brought by Arceus himself, imagine what we could do with it!"

Kael snarled. "No."

Deoxys moaned in exasperation. "You may think you're protecting your charge by preventing the use of that Pichu's power, but you're only causing her agony in the end! You know you cannot win! Why do you persist so?"

"Arceus sent me to do a job. I will do his will until the day he no longer has any need of me." Kael retorted.

"A slave right to the very end." Deoxys scoffed.

With a final glance shot the Legendary's way, Kael stalked past Deoxys' form, headed directly towards the dais. "Regardless of whether you help me or not," He began, glancing over his shoulder to shoot a single glare towards Deoxys. "I _will_ talk with Arceus."

Deoxys offered no resistance as Kael marched up to the raised platform, eyeing the white Lucario with guarded indifference. The moment Kael placed a paw atop the shimmering black stone, an intangible surge of energy flooded around the room, filling the special area with waves of white hot fury.

Kael stood rigidly inside the heart of the inferno, his eyes slammed securely shut as he waited. The waves of energy quietly died down at the Lucario's determination, slowly swelling around him as its fingers connected with his consciousness.

_"Ah, Kael," _A voice whispered in his mind, its fatherly tones assuring the Pokemon that his presence was not resented. _"It has been so long since we have been able to talk. How has your time on earth been?"_

"It has been good, milord." Kael murmured aloud, noting with satisfaction Deoxys annoyed grunt from beyond the comfort of the dais. "I forever appreciate the opportunities to serve your will."

A single, warm feeling washed over Kael, causing him to smile in spite of his desperate situation. _"I am glad," _Arceus said softly. _"But I know you have not come all this way to simply talk. Something is troubling you."_

"Yes, milord." Kael sighed, rubbing his forehead lightly with his paw, wondering where to begin. Though Arceus always knew his thoughts, the Lord preferred to have Pokemon say what they needed rather than simply give them an answer. Seeking to keep the atmosphere professional and devoid of pathetic needs, Kael began slowly, his voice becoming, to his displeasure, more desperate as he continued. "Lord Arceus, for the past eight thousand years I have guarded over the Ninetales Amarri, keeping her upon the right track to salvation. I know that the only way she may return to her former self by her own means remains on the path before her, but an opportunity has arose that may put our plans at risk." The white Lucario paused, waiting for Arceus to interject his own thoughts.

_"Go on."_

"I speak of the Pichu named Thomas. Amarri and I found him in the destroyed remnants of Viridian forest, his clan of tribal Pikachu that once guarded over Your Grove utterly decimated. Milord, within this small Pokemon is an untamed power source of tremendous proportions. With every passing day the power grows more and more threatening, its reach poisoning the very vessel it inhabits. I fear that, if left unchecked, this power could destroy Thomas, or worse, be used by Tirus to regain his former glory. I do not want to harm Thomas simply to keep a theoretical threat at bay, but I cannot ignore the complications he places upon my task."

Arceus was silent for several long moments after Kael's speech, causing the white Lucario to shift uncomfortably on the dais as he waited for his Lord's answer. _"You already know what must be done." _He began, his normally warm voice carrying a hint of dread. _"You came here seeking my advice in order to take a different route than the one you see before you. The only way to ensure the salvation of the one you love is to destroy the power hidden inside the Pichu. If Amarri's soul is transformed using those ancient, black magics, her countenance will be decimated, and all that you have sought to achieve will be destroyed. Her former companions will be released from their imprisonment at her will, and the world will be plunged into an era of chaos that of which we have never seen." _Kael hung his head solemnly at Arceus' words. _"But," _The Legendary continued. _"If you truly wish to save Thomas' life, there is another way to destroy the power within him."_

"Whatever it is, milord, I'll take it." Kael responded reverently.

_"Be warned, Kael. With every gift comes a price." _Arceus boomed, his voice growing more distant with every word. _"When the time comes, do not falter from your task. The lives of all goodly Pokemon are dependent upon that."_

"Wait!" Kael panicked, reaching forward with his paw into the air as though to catch the intangible source of the voice. "What must I do?"

_"You already know." _Arceus called. _"It is a task that can only be accomplished by your unique abilities." _He paused for a moment as the echoes of his words faded against the stone walls. _"Do not fear for Thomas for now. Though the power within him is great, his own tremendous will keeps it at bay. You have a year, my servant."_


	10. Forbidden

I'm alive! I can't believe how long its been between updates. D:

This is just a quick chapter to get the creative juices flowing in my brain again. I really wanted to write something sweet. It gets kinda tiring to write massacre after massacre.

Once again, a big thank you to my wonderful reviewers: Twilight - The Moon Spirit, Galalithial, and bobdaduck. A hearty round of applause to all of you!

* * *

Chapter ten

Forbidden

The dawnling sun peered over the lip of the nearby peaks, heralding the late afternoon in which the city could receive a fullness of light. All activity had since quieted down, leaving the placid streets bathed in a thick silence. Humans and Pokemon alike had fled to their inner sanctuaries before the light had a chance to manifest itself in a blaring wave of heat. The sheer lack of activity destroyed the natural breathing of the land; the whole world hung in a suspenseful silence as though it was dead.

Kael pulled the reigns back forcefully, causing the nervous Exodus pause. The Rapidash tossed his head, his hooves prancing backwards as he regained his footing on the sleeping land.

"Hold, Exodus," Kael murmured, his bloody eyes narrowed slightly as he inhaled the landscape.

"Where is everyone?" Exodus nickered, swiveling his great head around to glance at his rider. His great brown eye swiveled madly. "It's so quiet."

"Hiding, most likely," Kael commented, sighing slightly. "The heat out on the plains of Pewter is extremely intense for most species." The white Lucario panted in the heat, sweat thickening under his fur. "Especially for those whom are weakened by fire and heat."

"Oh," Exodus commented, easily catching onto the hint. "Right." He muttered sheepishly. With a final neigh, the Rapidash bolted across the arid landscape. He took a somewhat northern route towards the boundaries of Pewter city, angling alongside the nearing hospital. His diamond hard hooves dug deep ruts as he tore along the ground, sending up a tall cloud of dust behind him as he ran.

"Not exactly the picture of subtlety," Kael commented lightly, holding a paw in front of his eyes to keep the dust at bay.

Within moments they had entered the great arms of the silent city, the shadows of the tall buildings a welcome commodity. Kael sighed in relief. "To the hospital, please,"

The reverberating echoes of Exodus' hoof beats followed the pair closely as they quickly traversed the expanse separating the verges of the city and the medical buildings beyond. Several city-goers poked their inquisitive heads out their windows as the Pokemon passed, their confused faces vanishing quickly. The subtle issues of air conditioning leaking out from the precipices of the buildings swamped around the lower tresses of the city, giving a welcome burst of cold air towards the two Pokemon.

Exodus paused at the mouth of the human hospital, his mighty head leaned upwards to gaze at the very verge of the tall building. "Woah," He commented.

Kael lightly slipped off the Rapidash's back, clicking open the spherical Pokeball as he finished his descent. The fire-bearing horse flickered into a wavering light silhouette, the energy of his form quickly evaporating into the containment unit as the white Lucario clipped the Pokeball shut. With a final glance towards the heat starved streets beyond, Kael let out a small sigh, padding lightly into the cool, well lit hospital reception room.

The receptionist looked up from her magazine to the entrance of the hospital as the Lucario stepped inside, her bored expression of exasperation hardly locking on the entrance for more than a few moments. With a flick of her hand towards the silent elevators, she once again delved back into the reports from her magazine.

Kael bowed to her, more out of habit than anything else, and crossed the empty lobby quickly. His eager steps quickened rapidly as the mechanical doors of the elevator swooned open to allow him admittance. The doors slid shut behind his tail as he crossed the threshold, the light bleeping over the door cheerily indicating the floor he occupied. Pressing the smooth button to take him to the fourteenth floor, Kael stepped back against the cool metal of the door as the elevator jerked slightly as the metal box began its ascent. He watched with growing impatience as the glowing number slowly slid upwards, actually clicking on the fourteenth floor button several times in quick succession as though to make the elevator to go faster.

His heart began to pound in anticipation as he envisioned the welcome he would receive. Kael grimaced slightly at the thought of Emayla and her indignation's at his absence. A small smile wound across his maw, however, at his pondering. This was the first time in thousands of years that they had been separated for over a week. Kael was surprised at how much he missed Emayla's companionship; her constant musings and worries, her acceptance... The white Lucario shook his head quickly as the doors to the elevators slid slowly open at the entrance to the fourteenth floor.

The whitewashed walls yawned lazily in their stillness, the pure white lights giving of soft illumination across the entire section of the building. Complementary vases spawned every few feet or so atop dark-wooden desks, vibrant flowers adding color to the otherwise monochromatic hallway. All doors, save for one at the very end of the hall, had no lights stirring within their depths. Most of the patients were sleeping at this time of day.

With a slight pause, Kael continued down the hallway, allowing the elevator to shut slowly from behind him, the small ding caused by the mechanical structures from within the transportation device quickly silenced against the white walls. His paw steps allowed the only sounds as he traveled; not even the soft din of the air conditioning or the pining of Pokemon outside could break the silent vigil of the hospital.

Kael placed his black paw haltingly on the cold surface of the door handle that led into the room in which his master was staying. He couldn't see past the semi-transparent glass; only vague patterns of light passed by the window of the door. With a subtle twist of his paw, the door gave a light click, slowly sliding past the precipice on which it rested. Kael lowered his head as the door gave its final throws, opening fully to the room beyond.

But no response came to his presence.

With a questioning glance, the white Lucario lifted his head to gaze at the chamber. The plain room held no significant qualities; a simple assortment of modest furniture dotted the floor every now and again. Neine, the Meganium, slept soundly in the corner of the room, her massive head leaned lightly against the window. She didn't stir as he passed the threshold of the room, her contented smile reminiscent of a pleasing dream.

Emayla rested with her back turned towards the door, the subtle rising of the sheets covering her healing body indicating her slumbering.

Kael smiled. Closing the door without even a hushed sound, the white Lucario padded silently across the expanse of the chamber to his master's side. He pulled a chair from a pile at the corner of the room to the head of the bed, seating himself facing the far wall. Kael paused for a moment to listen to her quiet breathing, not able to look down and gaze at her ravaged form himself.

"I'm sorry, lady Emayla," He began, rubbing one paw across his arm in insecurity. "I didn't mean to simply leave you here in this state, but I had no choice." Kael sighed. "There's still things you don't know about me, so I don't think it's right to tell you now. I do what I must for the safety of this world, you must understand that. But, sometimes, that's not always the truest path. I, er, sought advice in my time away from someone who has helped me in the past. I trust his judgment... I know that he knows what is best for us." The white Lucario faltered on the quiet word 'us'. With another sigh to complement the first, he ran his paw across his forehead, glancing towards the window beyond. His heart nearly failed him as he saw his reflection in the glass; not only his, but Emayla's as well. Her half-open eyes stared longingly at his reflection, not quite aware that she had been discovered awake.

Kael halted his single-sided conversation rapidly, returning his attention to the dresser on the far wall, his ears perked sideways for any signs of movement.

Several long minutes passed in silence. But, before Kael could get another word out, Emayla slowly rose on the bed, propping herself against the metal frame so she sat parallel to her partner. "It's strange," She began, her voice quieter than Kael's had been. "For almost eight thousand years I've had you always by my side. There were many times in my darkest hours when I wanted nothing more than for you to disappear." Emayla paused, laughing quietly for a moment in remembrance. "Now that I look back, those years were better than I could have ever imagined. I loved being alive. Everyday was a new adventure. No matter how dark my past had become, there was always a brighter tomorrow." Her bloody eyes gently glanced towards her stilled partner. "I cherished every morning where I would wake, and I'd find you right there beside me. Your warm smile, your kind words." Her voice became slightly taunt as tears slowly filled her eyes. "After eight thousand years, you'd think I'd be able to go a week without you there. But..." Emayla quietly wiped a single tear than had escaped, her smile never diminishing. "Every moment was a pit of darkness. I saw my hollow past everywhere around me. Tirus became a frequent visitor in my nightmares; though Syhn and Neine did their best, nothing could quell the agonies of my memories." Still Kael refused to look at her directly, his tightened expression locked on the wall. Emayla returned her own eyes to the same spot Kael had locked on to, her quiet voice slipping along the air. "I never knew just how much I needed you, Kael."

Emayla allowed her words to hang in the air for a time, content to simply sit there in the presence of her Lucario. As the minutes were counted off by the clock above her bed, the Pokemon trainer slowly continued. "You're the bravest, most wonderful Pokemon I have ever known, and I'm proud to call you my friend."

This time Emayla allowed a full glance towards Kael, only to find him with his head buried in his paws, sobs shaking his shoulder, tears streaming down his face. Concerned, she swerved around on the hospital bed, her feet lightly tapping the floor as she reached out towards her partner. Before she could react, the white Lucario gripped her arm tightly, wrapping her into a warm embrace. His tears stained her shoulder as they held each other, neither quite ready to let go.

How could he have let it gone this far? He understood what she had meant under her words; it wasn't just friendship. It was love. None of this was supposed to have happened... He had sacred duties given to him by Arceus to complete. He couldn't stay with her.

Once his mission regarding her return to her Ninetales body was finished, he was to die.

EC

Syhn growled at the flashing screen, clicking his green scaled claws against the computer in impatience. The mechanized communication device sputtered and whirred as it attempted once again to regain a connection. The blurred images splattered across the screen slowly materialized, congealing to corporeal shapes of the Pokemon he was trying to contact.

"Alithe?" He called into the small microphone positioned at the verge of the gray box.

The Dragonair on the opposite end shook her head in annoyance. "Blasted, unreliable technology." She sighed, her jeweled tail swiping across the camera as she repositioned the screen.

"It'll have to do," Syhn commented lightly, ignoring the bemused glances shot his way by the common passerby. "Have you gotten any word on Xavier?"

Alithe shook her regal head in exasperation. "No," She paused, looking off to the side of her respective area for a moment before returning her attention to the Sceptile. "It's unusual for him to be silent for so long. Though the lady Emayla allows you to leave whenever you wish, he has always made a prompt return. His blood oath still holds strong."

"I know, and that's whats making the others nervous." Syhn's yellow eyes narrowed dangerously. "Arrogant lizard. He's probably off terrorizing innocents in some dark alley-way."

"Oh, could you let your animosity slide for just a moment? This could be serious, Syhn."

"I know, I know." The Sceptile sighed. "Well, if you get any word, send me a message with Vestill when she arrives, alright?"

"Will do." Alithe commented lightly. Her smiling face was quickly lost to the inner darkness as the machine flickered off, leaving Syhn staring hard at his own, darker, reflection. The majestic grass Pokemon lowered his head into his claws, musing silently over his path. The sounds of the Pokemon center rambled on in the background: the comments of the medical personnel, the protests of overworked Pokemon, the worried titters of trainers; were all lost to the winds. Syhn sat in his quiet thoughts, quite separate from it all.

Until the front door was literally blown from its hinges.

Keiva came spiraling into the lobby of the Pokemon center, her paws scrabbling madly against the linoleum surface of the floor. With a savage roar she silenced all patrons of the center in a single moment, the smoking hinges of the door still sizzling from the might of her electric attack.

Syhn hurried up from his chair over to the distressed Luxray, swiveling around quickly as a stray bolt of electricity came leaping off her coat. "Keiva!" He exclaimed. "What's happened?"

The Luxray shook her head rapidly. "I don't know!" She snarled, glancing back over her shoulder to the quieted city beyond. "Something's wrong with Thomas!"

EC

Ghethar glanced around at the glimmering city of Cerulean, his eyes narrowed against the invasive light. He raised his arm over his forehead in an attempt to stay the glaring heat of the sun, his tail flicking back and fourth behind him in impatience. From over several hundred feet in the air, most details of the land below were lost to absolute obscurity; only the shimmering gemstones impregnated into every wall of Cerulean offered any definitive detail to where he was.

Off in the distance loomed Mt. Moon, its oppressive energies somewhat subdued in the light. _Strange._ Ghethar pondered. Deoxys was ever the greedy Legendary. Why leave his abode with dwindling protections.

Not that it mattered, however.

With a sigh, Ghethar slowly descended down towards Cerulean city. How on earth was he supposed to eliminate one of the most prestigious trainers in the world when she was constantly surrounded by the most powerful Pokemon in existence? Taking a direct route to Pewter would be absolute suicide.

No. It was best to let his prey come to him.

He would wait, no matter how long it took. The Masters still held bounds on his freedom; his death was certain unless their whims were met.

With a final grunt, the Mewtwo descended into the heart of the shining city.

* * *

And what's a sweet chapter of Retribution without plot twists and cliffhangers?


	11. Alterations

I live! And I feel like a turd bomb for making you all wait so long for this! D: But! For those of you who put up with my laziness and actually read this, you people should be getting a Nobel prize or something.

Also: I apologize if this chapter feels different than the others; I haven't played around with Retribution for a while, so I've kinda fallen out of the style I had established for this. But! Hopefully it still holds the same 'epicness' as before.

Alsoalso! Once again, a big, amazing thank you to all my lovely reviewers! Moosebutter, crazybarkz, Twilight- The Moon Spirit, Galalithial, and bobdaduck!

* * *

Chapter eleven

Alterations

Emayla clasped her hands underneath her chin, staring hard at the far wall as she pondered. "So," She began, her red eyes roving up the patterns of the white-washed wallpaper. "Your informant told you nothing?"

"Yes," Kael lied, his own gazed pulled away to avoid any detection if his farce. "They gave no conclusive results."

Emayla sighed, running her hand across her forehead in frustration. Her lipid gaze tore a hole through the gap in her fingers, boring into the wood of the far wall. "What can we do?" She whispered. "Every moment we waste in contemplation brings Thomas closer and closer to his end."

Kael didn't dare a glance towards his partner. His shoulders rose rigidly as he waited, unwilling to divulge what was really dancing across his tormented mind.

"It's almost as if the whole world is venturing across our path," Emayla mused, her words spitting defeat into the air. The Pokemon trainer sighed once more. "You can't contain the power; we don't even know how long we have left before it's all to late."

"Well," Kael began uncertainly, rubbing his paw across his arm to accentuate his nervousness. "That bit of information was delivered by my informant." He admitted. That tidbit caught Emayla's attention, drawing her crimson gaze to match Kael's own bloody eyes. With an uneasy shift, the Lucario continued. "He did say that we have a year."

"A year?"

"Yes. From what information he could gather, Thomas would be safe from total possession of the dormant powers for at least a year."

"That doesn't give us much time," Emayla growled. With a groan, she shifted her weight around on her hospital bed, forcing her weakening legs down onto the linoleum floor.

Kael's eyes widened at her audacity. The white Lucario caught his partner by her hunched shoulders, forcing her to remain in the softness of the downy bed. "What are you doing?" He demanded.

"Let go!" Emayla stammered, her still healing body crying out for repose. "We don't have time to wait for me to heal!"

Kael let out a small smirk at her determination, but he was firm. Using his innate powers to assist him, the Lucario maneuvered Emayla back into a comfortable position on her bed, ignoring the titters coming from her clenched jaw. "We're not going anywhere until you're better, m'lady."

Emayla sighed. "I'm fine, Kael, really. The longer we wait, the less likely Thomas' salvation will be. It was only a little burn, I'm ready to go."

"No, no it wasn't." Kael whispered. The air tilted downwards at his words, a tangible chill tickling the back of their necks as the echoes of his voice dissipated against the walls. "You died, didn't you?"

The Pokemon trainer didn't respond for several minutes. Emayla shivered. "...Yes."

Kael's ears pressed worriedly against his head. "And... Did Arceus speak to you?"

Emayla glanced towards the far window. "No."

"What?"

"He told me nothing." The Pokemon trainer let her words hang with a bitter tang in the chilled air. "Not only am I deprived of the sweet release of death, but now not even Arceus will deliver any assistance. In the past, I saw my deprivation of death as somewhat of a good thing; I would receive direction when my soul was closest to the heavens. But, now, there was nothing. As I died, all I saw was black." Emayla paused. "I was afraid. I've heard that death is like walking into the light; when nothing but darkness assaulted my senses, I was terrified that I had failed, that..." She shuddered. "That Arceus has finally forsaken me."

Kael gazed sadly at his partner. His black paw rose slightly into the air, as though he meant to offer her a comforting touch, but he never got his chance.

The doorway slammed open, the green blurred shape of Syhn barrelling into the room before the wooden door had even finished it's descent. "Kael, lady Emayla!" He cried as his claws skidded to a halt on the floor. "Come quickly! Something has happened to Thomas!"

EC

Blackfire hacked into the hindquarters of the corpse, sawing down into the bone, severing the meat from the rest of the cadaver in quick, harsh motions, his face set into a deep scowl as he went about his work. The tough hide of the Stantler readily gave way to his weapon, allowing the life-giving meat to come cleanly from the rest of the body. Creed let out a low whimper from his makeshift bed, altering his weight around on his haunches to alleviate the numbing pain as he watched Blackfire work. The man looked up from his grim tasks at the sound of his wounded Houndoom, a grimace etching down his face. "Just hang in there," Blackfire grumbled, sliding a slab of meat onto a fizzling rock to cook. "I'll have this ready in no time."

Creed let out another whimper, laying his head weakly back down atop his paws before his voice finished its descending echoes through the trees.

The silent din of their camp was suddenly interrupted by the snapping of foliage. Blackfire swerved around on the spot to face the gloom, his bloodied dagger poised for the attack. A yelp staggered out from the darkness of the burnt undergrowth at the human's movements, causing he former Rocket lieutenant pause. He rose slowly, hunching his shoulders forward to bring forth a menacing premise.

The pathetic squeal sounded once again, but this time a recognizable voice followed suit. "Lo! Lopunny lo!" A shivering Lopunny came scampering out of the ash covered forest, her fur lined paws held in front of her in a gesture of goodwill. Her paws worked furiously, signing various odd shapes as though she meant to say something.

Blackfire growled.

The Lopunny shrunk back, her signs frozen in place. She glanced off to the side for some support, though nothing offered her fears respite. "Lopunny, lo lo." She said, her voice cracking.

Blackfire shifted the dagger in his hands, not at all amused. "Either you take your pathetic hide back from where you came, rabbit, or I'll add you to my catch." He spat, though his depleted energy stores told him a different story. He knew he couldn't hold his own if the Lopunny got wise to his bluff.

The crystalline eyes of the Lopunny filled with glittering tears. She let out a single, choking gasp before she collapsed into a heap upon the forest floor, her paws held tightly across her face in defeat.

Blackfire rose to his feet. His dark visage pounded down upon her, his merciless rage rising to its peak. He tipped the dagger back, fully intending to strike, but his movements were stopped by an unexpected whine from Creed.

The defeated Houndoom pined, his head lifted weakly from its resting place to stare woefully at the sobbing Lopunny. Creed whimpered again, shifting his pained gaze to his master with an urgent glare in his iridescent orbs. Something passed between their gazes, an intangible force, causing the hand of the former Rocket lieutenant to waver.

Blackfire glanced back and forth between the two Pokemon, his usually unmoving resolve somewhat rocked. With a disgusted snarl, he plopped back down onto the earth, his dagger continuing its macabre duties to the body of the Stantler. Blasted chivalry.

EC

Xavier snarled with renewed vigor, fire angrily lancing from his nostrils as he exhaled, his fury renewed with every flap of his wings. She had betrayed him! How could he have been so foolish? It was all a lie, all of it! The Charizard roared in agonized defiance, his powerful wings propelling him along the winds towards the quiet din of the Viridian Forest.

-Earlier that same day-

Xavier slowly touched down on the large rocky outcropping, the buffets from his landing sending several rocks careening down into the quieted valley below. The flickering lights from a far away town were lost to the sheer weight of the ocean of trees stretching out from the base of this single peak, the fits of human habitation not drawing even the slightest hint of attention from the single-minded Charizard. His quarry lay in the cave beyond.

Without even a knock on the steel plated doors erected against just such an intrusion, Xavier strode forward into the complex, the fire on his tail casting odd shadows against the ghastly old machines lining every inch of the wall. The uneven divots of the roof flickered in protest at the assailing light, their shifting gloom acting like caged beasts as the massive Charizard strode past.

"Alithe?"

Xavier froze at the recognition of that horribly familiar voice.

"Alithe? Are you there? Hello?"

He couldn't have gotten here before him, could he?

"Hold on a moment, Syhn." Xavier relaxed immediately as he heard Alithe's familiar melodic tones, recognizing the metallic inflections scratching underneath the surface of Syhn's words. "I've almost got it figured out.

Xavier lightly tapped on the wall with his sharpened claws as he came around the corner. The illuminated chamber glimmered slightly in the faux light provided by the man-made lamps, the whirring of the video-phone sputtering in the otherwise quiet room.

Alithe, a pink Dragonair, lifted her regal head at the sound of Xavier's entrance. Her silver orbs widened as she slowly recognized his scarred visage. Her lips moved as though she meant to say something, but Syhn's insistent voice called once more from the screen.

"Alithe?" He called once more.

Alithe repositioned herself in front of the screen. "Blasted, unreliable technology," She sighed in exasperation, sweeping her jeweled tail across the small camera as she tried to reposition the thing.

"It'll have to do," Syhn's distant voice called from the speakers of the device. "Have you gotten any word on Xaiver?"

Alithe paused for only a fraction of a second. Xavier could almost see the shining gears in her mind whirling. "No." The magnificent Dragonair glanced to her side to gaze imploringly at the waiting Charizard, who only offered a nod of consent at her words. Her attention immediately shifted back, the lie already flowing easily from her lips. "It's unusual for him to be silent for so long. Though the lady Emayla allows you to leave whenever you wish, he has always made a prompt return. His blood oath still holds strong."

Xavier nearly snarled aloud at the mention of his oath, but he kept himself in check as Syhn's voice prattled off once more. "I know, and that's whats making the others nervous. Arrogant lizard. He's probably off terrorizing innocents in some dark alleyway."

Alithe rolled her eyes. "Oh, could you let your animosity slide for just a moment? This could be serious, Syhn."

"I know, I know." The Sceptile let out an audible sigh. "Well, if you get any word, send me a message with Vestill when she arrives, alright?"

"Will do." Alithe commented lightly at his insistence, putting on a smile to assure him of her sincerity. The screen flickered for just a moment, then it went silently black. With a sigh, the pink Dragonair turned her attention to the stilled form of Xavier. "I really hope you have a good reason, Xavier." She commented quietly.

The Charizard almost cackled at the magnificent irony of her words. But he steeled his resolve. This was above petty jealousies. "Alithe," He began.

Alithe raised her tail into the air, causing Xaiver pause. "If this is another 'heart-felt' confession about how I should have been yours, forget it, Ferrintin." She stated, using the old nickname she posted on the Charizard in years past to slap him across the face with her words. "It's over between us."

Xavier fought hard to keep his calm. "Alithe, let me explain." He pleaded. "The ramifications have been met. Everything is going according to plan."

Alithe cocked a single eyebrow at his words.

"We'll be done within the week," The Charizard continued. "Once the target has been secured, they wont need my services anymore." His voice climbed with excitement. "I'll be free, and things can finally be as they always were!"

Alithe backed away slightly. "Xavier," She began, looking around as though to garner support from her broken down home. "You know that your oath holds you responsible for the protection of lady Emayla until she releases you from her service. No single job can release you from your debt."

Xavier did lose his clam this time. At the obvious misinterpretation of her words, the Charizard let out a agonized roar. "No!" He yelled, both in defiance and in response. "No." He said once more, his voice becoming deadly quiet. "No, not her. I'll never give my oath to that traitor."

"Traitor?" Alithe replied in utter confusion. "Xaiver, what-"

"She betrayed her friends, her family! Don't you see, Alithe?" Xavier's crazed voice splashed across the cave in a deadly wave. His eyes rolled back in their sockets, his muscles tensing as he felt the conviction of his words. "Amarri left the path! She left her partner to become the lacky of that false idol!"

Alithe curled back in fear, her wing-like ears flattening defensively against her head.

Xavier's burning eyes once again locked onto Alithe's iridescent gaze. "Don't you see, dearest Alithe? I've walked past her lies. I've seen the light."

"Xaiver..."

"I know what must be done." He paused for a moment, as if he only just remembered where he was. "Come with me, Alithe. Come with me, and I'll show you the glories of Tirus' kingdom." A sincere grin wound up his scarred visage. "Come with me, and things will be as we always wanted them to be. We can finally be together."

"N...No." Alithe whispered, almost surprising herself with the power residing within her quiet words. "No." She called again, her voice gaining power and conviction with every syllable. "No, Xavier. You cannot change what has happened."

"Alithe, don't you understand?" Xavier cried in agony. "Syhn follows her! He follows her down the path to his own destruction! Lord Tirus has sworn to kill everyone of Amarri's supporters who stands in his way- not your precious Syhn, not Rowell, not even that blasted Kael will survive his purge! He'll kill them all!"

Alithe froze in horror.

"But there is a way!" Xavier called, his fervor once again getting the best of him. "Come with me Alithe! Together we can survive! Together we can live forever!"

"You're the traitor..." Alithe murmured. "You're the one who's been feeding information to that murderer, Tirus." Her courage slowly took hold once more. "You delivered lady Emayla's kindness with a dagger in her back! What else have you done, Xavier? Who else have you betrayed?"

Xaveir's composure lost itself in the tangle of her words, his eyes widening in horror at the venom behind Alithe's voice.

"You told Team Rocket of Emayla's stay in Pewter. That man was just your pawn..." She whispered. "You arranged for Blackfire to break free..." Her silver eyes snapped to hold the twisted gaze of the tormented Charizard. "What have you done?"

Her final words rang with such a final gong in the echoing chamber. Xavier's excitement became a macabre rage. With a savage roar ripping from deep within his throat, the Charizard struck.

…...

Acidic tears poured freely from Xavier's eyes, the Charizard's mind wracked with utter guilt as the memory filled his tormented mind. They would never find Alithe. They would never find her body.

What had he done? Xavier let out a horribly pained screech into the air. Tirus had promised Alithe's safety in return for his services. It was all for naught! Xavier let his wail continue for hours unchecked, his voice bleeding from the effort. He screamed until no sound could come from his mouth; fire ensued from his maw as he exhausted his vocal chords, his agony fully playing out for the world to see.

What had he done?

Deep in the reaching sky, Xavier could see his target. Far off into the distance, hovering over the Viridian forest floated that Dusknoir. Tirus' little pet.

With what final strength was left in him, Xavier tore into the sky, his powerful wings propelling him forward at impossible speeds. He covered the distance as a flashing bolt of fire, his wake causing the devastated trees down below to once again catch fire. With a primal scream ripping from deep within his throat, Xavier barreled into the Dusknoir, his savage fangs ripping deep into the shifting grayness of its form.

The startled ghost Pokemon let out a yelp, its hands releasing the body it had been carrying to fend off the furious assault of the Charizard. It's ghastly blood popped satisfyingly in the thirsty fire lizard's mouth, the pained gurgles trailing from its throat only goading the murderous Charizard onwards. Xavier raked with his claws, tore with his jaws, ripping deep into the unprotected essence of the Dusknoir. Fire sprayed from his maw, engulfing the both of them in a bloody halo. Xavier could feel the ghost Pokemon become less and less substantial as he held on, its body becoming nothing less than a bloody mist.

"Stop."

The words held an ultimately powerful conviction. An ethereal presence hooked around Xavier, ripping the enraged Charizard from his prey. The fire lizard roared in protest, furiously flapping and kicking against the unseen force that held him in check. But the hold was firm.

"Calm yourself, Xaiver."

Ghethar's deep voice immediately sent pings of calming energy over the Charizard, causing his muscles to inadvertently relax, though his face still pulled into a murderous scowl.

"Calm yourself," Ghethar repeated, his influence also keeping the dissipating Dusknoir aloft. "You don't want to make yourself more trouble than your worth, little Charizard."

Xavier snarled in response.

"So be it."

The psychic energies immediately tightened around the Charizard. Xavier let out a squeal of protest at the sudden agonizing pressure, trying to break free of the grip, but his words only came out as a blood suffocated gurgle. His bones began to break under the tremendous pressure; his organs splintered and burst. Xavier struggled through every agonizing moment as his body was being crushed. His every thought was trained on Alithe, his absolute agony over what he had done ringing with such clarity. The wretched Charizard let out a final, tormented wail into the skies, his final echoes dying into nothing more than the dripping of blood from his once magnificent eyes. As the fires died down from his furious passing, Xavier's body became a sickly deformed wedge of dripping meat floating in the air, the contours of his once proud and strong body snapping to horrifying shapes as Ghethar finished his work.

With a satisfied grunt, Ghethar tossed the lifeless body down into the forest below.

EC

Blackfire lifted his head as he heard a distant battle raging. Both Pokemon in his camp did likewise, mimicking his movements as the questions filled both their eyes. The former Rocket lieutenant narrowed his gaze, his hand once more going to the comforting reach of his dagger as he placed the hunk of dried Stantler meat he had been consuming down. Without even a backwards glance, Blackfire trudged into the woods, his not-so-light pace easily matched by the Lopunny as she followed close behind. Blackfire snarled as he heard her following, but he knew he didn't have enough strength to fight whatever was battling. He was almost glad for her company.

The tree's parted suddenly, an almost circular clearing opening to the day-lit sky as the two came to an abrupt halt. Blackfire trained his eyes skyward; all was silent, but a strange, dark shape held his attention. "What's that?" He growled.

Almost in response, the misshapen form came hurtling down towards the earth, its landing sending a sickening, slurping noise ricocheting about the trees.

Blackfire started towards the strange thing, but he was stopped by a sudden squeal emanating from the Lopunny behind him. The former Rocket lieutenant whirled around, expecting an attack. But none followed

The ecstatic instead Pokemon hurtled herself towards the center of the grove, her paws hardly touching the ground in her haste. Near the center of the grove lay another shape, this one her destination. Blackfire could identify the thing; a boy lay sprawled about in the grass, his eyes closed in pain, blood caking his hair and matting it to his sweating forehead.

Odd.

The Lopunny rushed to the boy's side, her gentle paws lifting his head into the air, coming to rest at her shoulder. She cooed over him, brushing back the hair from his face with such tenderness.

Blackfire watched in confusion.

The Lopunny lifted her head to gaze thankfully at the former Rocket lieutenant, her glossy eyes rimming with joyous tears. Her paw trailed to the orb tied around her neck, that simple movement giving all the information Blackfire needed.

They had found her trainer.

EC

Emayla paced worriedly about the lobby of the Pokemon Center, her limping movements causing Kael to shoot worried glances her way every time she passed him.

Syhn, Rowell and Keiva all watched anxiously at the doors leading to the emergency room, their collective gazes almost boring into the feeble plastic. Keiva continually rose from her seat, padding over to the door, only to be sent back by the silence. Rowell simply sat quietly, his head in his paws. Syhn, unable to handle it anymore, rose from his chair. With one great claw, he gripped his pacing trainer on the shoulder, causing her pause. Red eyes met yellow.

Emayla slumped at the calming gaze of her Sceptile, allowing her worried form to be shepherded back to the seat beside Kael. The white Lucario offered his paw around her shoulders, giving his partner a reassuring shake. But he, too, was worried.

Nurse Joy came slowly out of the doors to the E.R., her normally vibrant pink hair covered in sweat and muck. All eyes immediately snapped to her, causing the nurse to wriggle uncomfortably under the intense stares. "He's stable." She finally announced, drawing relieved sighs from everyone in attendance. "But we're still unsure of what's happening to him."

Emayla unsteadily rose from her seat at Joy's words.

"The Pichu, in all rights of normal growth, should be experiencing his first evolution right now. But," She paused, fishing around for the right words. "Its almost as if his body... Well...

"It's as if he's being ripped apart from the inside."


	12. Promise

Who'd've thought? So soon? Must be a new record for me!

All merriment aside, however- I'm now a college girl! And, like the parasite that college is, it'll be sucking up almost all of my free time. Now, that doesn't mean that Retribution is canceled- never that!- but expect droughts between chapters as I won't have all the time in the world to be working on it.

Also! A wonderful gift/roundofapplause/cookie to my wonderful reviewers- Galalithial and Twilight- The Moon Spirit!

* * *

Chapter twelve

Promise

Pain.  
That was all he could feel.  
He couldn't remember where he was. He couldn't remember who he was.  
All that mattered was the pain. The unbelievable pain.  
He tried so hard to remember. Tried to push away from the pain. He was someone. He had a name. He had a family.  
Didn't he?  
The agony wracked his soul to his very core, forcing his memories farther back into the protection of his mind, to where they couldn't fade.  
He had to hold on. He had to remember. That was all he had. All he had in the absolute agony. All he had.

EC

Kael shifted back from his hunched position over the spasming body of Thomas, his normally serene features grave. The white Lucario ran a tired paw across his forehead, sighing as he did so, his red eyes closed in worry. The rapid beats from the heart monitor nearby ticked annoyingly on the fringes of his consciousness. Thomas was in his last throws. The energy Tirus had imbued into the Pichu's body was literally ripping Thomas apart as his fragile form readied itself for evolution.  
Arceus had said they had a year!  
Kael didn't understand what was transpiring with the Pichu. Nothing like this was supposed to have happened. Nothing.  
The white Lucario leaned forward once more, placing his black paws firmly on either side of Thomas' whimpering head. The Pichu cried out as he felt the mental intrusions combining with the powerful aura of the Lucario. The double edged probing sword sliced deep into the power struggle aimed at the tiny Pokemon's heart. Kael had to stop the power. He had to stop it.

EC

It was only a temporary venture. The moment Creed was able, this whole 'alliance' thing would reach its inevitable end.

Blackfire told himself that over and over in an attempt to stem his anger at the two new charges under his care. He was already hard-pressed to keep Creed in a perpetual state of life; two more mouths to feed were the last thing he needed.

At least, that's what he told himself.

The boy lifted his head weakly from his bed of leaves, his hazed over eyes staring blankly at the meager fire that lit up their campsite. No recognition crossed over his face. He hovered in a blur for a moment before he set his head gently back down upon his pillow of foliage, a pained gurgle escaping the confines of his chest.

The Lopunny, ever vigilant, rose immediately to scurry over to her master's side, her worried paws scraping over each other as she studied his defeated visage. She knelt down, brushing back the hair from his forehead as she did so. She shifted her stare once over to Blackfire's angry glare, but, unable to hold it for very long, she let out a resigned grunt, and returned her attention back to her master. The Lopunny bit her lower lip in fear.

Blackfire scoffed at her motions. What good would it do any of them to continue to baby over two lifeless bodies? This venture couldn't last for more than a few days; the Stantler's meat was already running low. Either the boy would die and the Lopunny would leave, or Blackfire would have to acquire a taste for rabbit meat.

The Lopunny rose from her crouch suddenly. Without even a glance Blackfire's way she hurried into the burnt foliage, her plush ears leaving behind more than a slight wake in her pass. Moments passed in silence. After several long minutes the Lopunny came hurrying back, her soft paws carrying several assorted leaves.

The rabbit Pokemon wasted no time. She seated herself down once more, lightly placing each leaf onto the flattened surface of a rock. With another stone she ground the assorted leaves into a fine, aromatic paste, mixing them together thoroughly before tossing the grinding tool down. She then smeared the paste all across the boy's wounded head, keeping it clear of his eyes, but placing it strategically underneath his nose so the aroma continued to waft into his lungs.

Blackfire watched with more than a passing interest. The moment the Lopunny paused from her work, he shifted forwards rapidly, grasping the flat stone and pulling it back towards him in a single, flashing movement. He eyed the paste curiously, guessing at its properties. Before the Lopunny could proceed to react, he slapped his hand down atop the mixture, smearing his sweating fingers all across it. Mimicking the Lopunny, he rubbed the solution across Creed's weakened form, keeping a concentrated amount around the deepest of his wounds. "And herb poultice, eh?" He commented. Blackfire snorted. "That'd been nice to know before." Shaking his head and growling to himself, Blackfire used to rest of the paste, keeping an angry eye on the uneasy Lopunny as he did his work. When she simply sat there in uncertainty, one paw still in the air as though she meant to grab the empty rock, Blackfire roared at her. "Don't just sit there!" He spat. "Go get me some more herbs!"

The Lopunny squealed, scrambling to her paws. With a terrified glance shot Blackfire's way, she scurried into the woods.

Blackfire continued to glare at the forest long after the disturbance of her passing dissipated. He didn't know if she'd come back or not. Not that it mattered; he'd hold the kid hostage to get the right ingredients for the pseudo healing potion.

Whatever it took to save Creed.

EC

It wouldn't be long.

Tirus shifted back in his magnificent throne, completely at ease. No, it wouldn't be long. He was so close. The untimely demise of that Charizard did set his plans a bit behind, but that was soon to be remedied. Not having a spy following around Amarri was a minor inconvenience. There wasn't a shortage of Pokemon ready and willing to serve the 'Masters' for the promise of greater glory.

The only thing that did send a dent onto his pristine plans was the way the Charizard had died. From the description given to him by Equilibrium, the fire-lizard had been literally crushed, meat and bone, into an indistinct glob of gore. The ghost Pokemon hadn't done the deed; though he assured Tirus he would have loved doing so. It was something else, a psychic energy from afar.

Tirus narrowed his eyes. There were few forces in this world capable of such devastating effects from so far away. So few.

His eyes narrowed even tighter.

"KYRON!" Tirus called powerfully into the air.

The second-in-command didn't respond. A cold stillness permeated the castle's air, causing an uncharacteristic shiver to slide down Tirus' spine.

Tirus started to rise from his throne, but he stopped. No. This inquiry would require more subtlety. It was best that Kyron didn't know that he had prying eyes watching his every move. "Malevolence." He called lightly into the air.

A velvety Espeon slunk along the edges of Tirus' throne at his call, her two tiered tail sweeping along the verge of Tirus' arm. The creature looked up to her master with her knowing eyes, her ears tilted forward for the commands she knew were forthcoming.

"Call our associate in Mt. Moon," Tirus stated evenly. "Give him a watered down report on the events thus far; never was he with any particular loyalty. Have him research the concentration of local psychic energies, having particular emphasis on the greatest amount of energy output. And," Tirus paused, lowering his bloody gaze to stare evilly at his waiting Espeon. "Assure him that his reward with finally be delivered."

Malevolence nodded at his words. She quietly slipped along the floor, headed to the side door leading to her private communing chambers, the orb on her forehead already glowing with a psychic light.

"Oh, and one more thing,"

Malevolence paused, glancing over her shoulder to stare curiously at her master.

"Rendezvous in my private chambers once you've completed your duties. I have another task for you."

EC

_I didn't know the world could be so dark. Was there never to be a dawn? The utter blackness consumed me; I couldn't feel- I couldn't breathe._

_Was there anything else? I didn't understand. I..._

_Something was wrong._

_I could feel it. Something splashed along the thickening darkness, coming slowly towards me with practiced grace._

_Tirus._

_He couldn't have found me again... Not here. Not now..._

_But there he walked, so slowly, his mane gently billowing in the darkness, his brilliant orange pelt shimmering in the hidden light. This had to be a dream. He couldn't be here. He couldn't... He couldn't..._

"_Amarri," Tirus began, so softly, so slowly. My spine shivered at his words, my breath hardly escaping past my dried lips._

_I stepped backwards, my paws scrambling hard to find a grip in the slippery abyss. I knew this was a dream. I was myself again, as it should have been. I could see clearer now through my magnificent Ninetales eyes. Clouds of darkness swirled around and around each other; there was no depth in this sightless world. Only shadows. Only darkness. A dream._

_I took comfort in those two words, steeling my resolve to face my terrors once more. "You have no powers here, Tirus. Begone. Begone from my mind and memories. You have no power here."_

_That should have done it. He should have vanished, disappeared, into the blackened depths. But there he stood. Stood so quietly. So perfectly._

_Tirus' maw angled up into a gentle smile. He padded forward once more, having no trouble at all crossing the vast expanse of sheer blackness. "Oh, but I do." He whispered softly, so softly._

_The scene suddenly shifted, exploding from the mellow darkness into a dappled green shade. The multicolored lights ordered themselves quietly into dancing pairs, melding into solid shapes as though they had been born of such. Leaves and trees yielded into the nothingness, their beautiful simplicity taking to a hauntingly familiar turn._

_My heart stuttered as I recognized that place. That most awful of places._

_We stood in the nursery. The quiet, calm nursery we had chosen to raise our children in. Together._

_Nothing from that horrible night remained. The nursery stood as a gentle guardian once more, the domed chapel of foliage letting in a simple, calming breeze, the scents from the silent world beyond barely tickling my nose._

_I could feel another presence in the room; a gentle being that tugged on my attention. Almost against my own will were my eyes drawn downwards, towards the soft grass blanket below Tirus' paws. And there I saw them._

_My children._

_The three of them huddled quietly behind their father, their unsure eyes staring at me with hope and fear. The bravest took a single step forwards, her lipid Vulpix eyes staring back at me with questions burning._

_I felt tears flooding down my face, plipping hard against the soft grass below. I tried to speak, so say solace to the children, but nothing could escape past the lump in my throat. I sobbed, staring at them. My joy was exquisite, absolute. There they stood, my beautiful children, their glimmering orbs sharing the love I felt leaking from mine._

"_This is all I ever wanted." Tirus whispered._

_I lifted my head to stare at him once more. There was a sincere sorrow in his eyes, a pain great enough to rival my own. Tears clouded his crimson eyes, their tails leaking dark trails across his milky fur._

"_Please, Amarri. This is all I ever wanted. For you. For us."_

_I had to believe him. There he stood, the pinnacle of my love, his protective grace shielding my beloved children from harm. There he stood, waiting, un-judging. There he stood, waiting for me._

_Waiting for me._

EC

Tirus rose from his soft, downy bed, his movements slow and melodic. The noon sun boomed in through the magnificent stained glass windows, the many-faceted lights twinkling in the clear din of the master bedroom. He could still feel the vestiges of that psychic dream ringing around his consciousness. The sweet smell. The soft touch. His wonderful Amarri.

Tirus didn't have to glance towards Malevolence to know it had been a success. The Espeon was the master at her craft. His dream had been linked to Amarri's. She had shared her mind with him through Malevolence's influence.

Though he bled to sit with her in person, to hold her in his arms, his dreams would have to do. Soon, so soon, he would break her will. She would fall; fall back down into his embrace where she had always belonged.

Amarri would be his once more, no matter the cost.

EC

Emayla jerked awake from her dream, her heart still pounding as she forced the delirium away. The lobby of the Pokemon center ticked away, quite unchanged. The many trainers went about their business, transferring dozens of Pokemon back and fourth between the medical personnel. None paid any heed to the shaken Pokemon trainer as she shook her head to further clear it.

Emayla glanced over her shoulder to stare at the guardian form of Syhn. The Sceptile sat so still as he watched the comings and goings of the many Pokemon trainers. He passed almost as a statue, save for the gentle, rhythmic risings of his chest.

Something had put him on edge.

Syhn's claws scraped hard against the opposing elbow as he sat, his anxiety barely contained as he tried to remain still for his trainer. Every once in a while his breath would suddenly gasp out, as though he was unable to slow himself any longer.

Emayla placed a gentle hand on her Sceptile's arm, causing his steeled yellow eyes to bore directly into her. With an understanding smile she dismissed him from his duties.

With a hardly perceptible bow the grass Pokemon hurried away.

Emayla sighed, rubbing her temples with her fingers. Tirus was becoming a frequent in her dreams now. She could see him, always see him, sitting on the edges of her consciousness. He had never taken a front-row seat to her nighttime wanderings until now, though. He was always the observer in her nightmares, the quiet voice in her dreams.

But now he stood at the center of it all, completely in control of what she saw, smelled, felt, and heard.

That fact alone sent shivers down her spine. Emayla ran a hand across her tired face, reminding herself over and over that Tirus was only human now. He couldn't be invading her dreams. Only psychic Pokemon could do that.

...Unless...

A sudden beeping noise woke the Pokemon trainer from her revere. Nurse Joy hurried out of the emergency room, several clipboards in hand. Emayla immediately shifted her gaze to the swinging doors, narrowing her eyes as she tried to catch a glimpse of what was going on beyond those blasted, impregnable doors.

EC

Blackfire leaned back, angling away from the two strangers in his camp. The sun blew slowly across the western sky; the day was waning. A soft, temperate breeze gently billowed through the deadened forest, offering hardly a respite to the afternoon blaze. From somewhere off into the distance came the shrill call of a lone Hoothoot.

The salve the Lopunny had procured was hardly the miracle Blackfire so desperately needed, but it did give a respite to the sufferers of the camp. Creed could breathe easier now, his ragged flanks now lifting rhythmically in a contented sleep. The infection had been stayed, for now, at least, and the wounds were stable. It would still be a while before the Houndoom was well enough for travel.

But for now, he was alive.

The boy had risen in the short span of time, as well. He sat propped up on his frail elbows, his deep indigo eyes prying across the small encampment. On occasion his Lopunny would fuss over him, insisting to feed him various leaves, or to drink different juices. To some he accepted, but to most he simply waved away. He wasn't quite the one to be babied.

Blackfire crouched moodily over the remnants of his meal. The meat, dried without the tang of salt, was a wasted thing. There wasn't enough for another day of feeding four. The former Rocket lieutenant eyed the two intruders with a snarl. They had healed Creed, yes, but Blackfire wasn't known for his generosity. Either they continued to prove their worth, or he left them dead in a gutter along the way.

"What's your name?"

The question caught Blackfire off guard. The former Rocket lieutenant swerved around to fully regard the youth, his cold visage met with an understanding glance. There was no malice, no confusion, no nothing in the boy's gaze. He simply sat there, watching, waiting.

That simple fact unnerved Blackfire.

With characteristic roughness, Blackfire scoffed at the boy's words, turning his gaze away to glare at an indistinct leaf as though it was the cause of all his worries.

But the boy would not back down. "Mine's Felix. Thank you, by the way, for helping Ditzy. She tells me you've fed her, and protected her from the creatures in the forest. Normally, we'd avoid places like this, but," Felix held up his hands in front of himself, palms facing upwards in defeat. "Well, this wasn't exactly the kind of day I'd hope I'd be spending." There was a sincere smile upon his face; nothing hid under his words. Just an earnest understanding.

Blackfire didn't know how to react; so used was he to anger and hate. But the boy's first question irked him- rang around in his mind over and over. What _was_ his name? It wasn't Blackfire, surely not. That mantle had been placed on his shoulders by the Masters. Then... What was it? Who was he?

"William." Blackfire murmured, surprising himself. "My name's William."

"William." Felix repeated, mulling the words over in his throat. The boy shifted, placing his weight firmly upon a single elbow to raise the opposing arm into the air. "Pleased to meet you."

But the hand Blackfire did not take. He still had misgivings. He still hated.

Felix lowered his hand back down, eyeing Blackfire curiously. But he didn't miss a beat. "Well, thank you again. I can't tell you how much I appreciate you taking Ditzy under your wing, despite your predicament."

Blackfire snorted again.

"I can help your Houndoom." Felix added, this time drawing Blackfire's full attention. "It's the least I can do, I mean, after all you've done."

Blackfire eyed the boy skeptically, but he said nothing. He even shifted backwards to allow an easier view of his pathetic Houndoom. Whatever it took.

Helped by the omnipresent Ditzy, Felix rose from his crouch. Limping slowly over to the fire Pokemon, the boy lowered himself down to a kneeling position beside Creed's head. His indigo eyes bore silently into Creed's weakened orbs. His right hand moved methodically, slowly, towards the Houndoom's forehead. With all fingers splayed evenly across Creed's black head, Felix suddenly went rigid.

A white light, an orb of utter purity, sprang fourth between Pokemon and human. The energy emanated strongly across the makeshift shelter, filling the whole clearing with the light. It breathed widely around, gently enveloping the four with hardly a sigh.

Blackfire reeled backwards in surprise, blinking heavily as the light slowly dissipated.

And there stood Creed. The Houndoom licked Felix's head gratefully, his powerful flanks twitching lightly, not a wound in sight. The magnificent fire Pokemon whined as he eyed his master, his devil-like tail swaying back and fourth in eager rapture.

Blackfire stood there, transfixed. He held out a single hand in disbelief. Into his hand walked his Pokemon, the Houndoom whimpering, licking his master's hand in joy.

"H-how?" Blackfire stammered.

Felix shrugged. "Many years ago, my ancestors were among the most religiously devout of any creature alive. They poured their hearts and souls out to Arceus, and, as a reward for their prayers, Arceus granted them abilities like the Pokemon they worked alongside of."

"So you're some kind of freak human-pokemo-"

"No." Felix interrupted. "My family and I aren't any kind of mixture, mutant, or hybrid of the sort. We are the arm of Arceus' divine care, that's all." When his words were met with nothing but a condescending glare, the boy continued. "Imagine it this way, if you will. Humans are Pokemon; normal-type to be exact. Now, as any trainer knows, all Pokemon can be taught different moves. Most learn the move on their own, whether through battle or an experience needing the particular ability. Humans, like normal Pokemon, don't have any particular affinity to the many elements around the world. All we have to throw at the enemy is ourselves; not only that, but our kind aren't exactly battle worthy. So, instead of perfecting our battle prowess, we enlisted in our minds, becoming the top species. Now, that doesn't change what we are. We're still a normal-type Pokemon, however weak we may become. So, like a Pokemon that lacks the natural abilities, all we were given was a TechnicalMachine. Arceus simply taught us a new move; and, like egg-talents borne down from generation to generation, our powers have been passed down as well."

Blackfire scoffed at that notion, but he let the matter drop. He didn't believe in Arceus- (a Pokemon strong enough to create the world!). Ever was he the practical man. Regardless of what powers healed Creed, however, the Houndoom was now well.

And that meant he could continue on with the hunt.

* * *

Hey, you see that little blue sentence right underneath this chapter? Click it! Review Retribution, and let the world (and me) know your thoughts!


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